Ofsted school ratings in West Sussex
In West Sussex (South East), 103 of 122 graded state-funded schools are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — a Good-or-Outstanding rate of 84.4%. That is 2.7 percentage points below the England-wide rate of 87.2%, based on Ofsted’s management information as at 31 May 2026.
- Good or Outstanding
- 84.4%
- England 87.2%
- Outstanding
- 11
- Good
- 92
- Requires improvement
- 17
- Inadequate
- 2
- Graded schools
- 122
- rank 104/145
Ofsted overall-effectiveness grades in West Sussex (31 May 2026)
| Grade | Schools in West Sussex | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding | 11 | 9.0% |
| Good | 92 | 75.4% |
| Requires improvement | 17 | 13.9% |
| Inadequate | 2 | 1.6% |
The Good-or-Outstanding rate is derived from these real counts as (Outstanding + Good) ÷ all graded schools. Schools last inspected on or after 1 September 2024 carry no overall-effectiveness grade and are excluded, per Ofsted’s published methodology.
By school phase in West Sussex
| Phase | Outstanding | Good | RI | Inadequate | Good+Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | 3 | 76 | 16 | 2 | 81.4% |
| Secondary | 7 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 95.5% |
| Special | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
Areas with a similar Good-or-Outstanding rate
- Leicestershire85.0%
- Peterborough85.0%
- Warwickshire84.9%
- Staffordshire84.4%
- Leicester84.3%
- Brighton and Hove84.0%
Frequently asked questions
- How many schools in West Sussex are rated Good or Outstanding?
- 103 of 122 graded state-funded schools in West Sussex hold an Ofsted overall-effectiveness grade of Good or Outstanding — a Good-or-Outstanding rate of 84.4%. That figure is derived from Ofsted's real inspection counts as at 31 May 2026. Across England the rate is 87.2%.
- How many Outstanding schools does West Sussex have?
- West Sussex has 11 schools rated Outstanding and 92 rated Good, out of 122 graded state-funded schools, according to Ofsted management information as at 31 May 2026.
- Are there any Inadequate schools in West Sussex?
- 2 state-funded schools are rated Inadequate in West Sussex, and 17 rated Requires improvement, out of 122 graded schools (Ofsted, as at 31 May 2026).
- What is the Good-or-Outstanding rate for primary and secondary schools in West Sussex?
- By phase in West Sussex: 81.4% of 97 primary schools; 95.5% of 22 secondary schools; 100.0% of 3 special schools are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted (as at 31 May 2026).
- How does West Sussex compare with the rest of England for school ratings?
- West Sussex ranks 104 of 145 English local authorities (those with at least 20 graded schools) by Ofsted Good-or-Outstanding rate, at 84.4% versus the England-wide 87.2% (as at 31 May 2026).
Reference period: latest inspections as at 31 May 2026 (Ofsted management information, published 2026-06-18). Source: Ofsted — State-funded school inspections and outcomes: management information. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Ofsted. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.