We are delighted to share our latest Ofsted report.
Inspectors judged the school to be meeting the Expected Standard in every area of inspection and noted “Pupils’ individual needs are a priority for staff at this caring school.”
As Ofsted’s Chief Inspector Sir Martyn Oliver has noted, schools achieving this across all areas are high-performing schools providing secure and effective provision for pupils.
This builds on our recent Outstanding judgement for boarding provision.
Thank you to our pupils, staff and families who make Steyning Grammar School such a positive place to learn.
Read the full report here.
Our fantastic sixth form debating team are in the final of the prestigious European Youth Parliament
UK competition, after coming first in the regional session this week.
Teacher Gemma Webb said: “They represented the school so well, working together and supporting
others.”
A special mention must go to Reagan who did an amazing job of organising the regional event.
The final in Newcastle now awaits!
A garden grown by students and staff at our Rock Road site has been given an award by the Royal Horticultural Society.
Formerly an unused and unloved outdoor space, the garden is now a place where a variety of vegetables and herbs are grown, a haven for birds and other wildlife and where a place for students to enjoy Guinea Pig Fridays!
Teacher Caroline Arnold, who has led the project, said it had been satisfying to see the students take ownership of the garden and also the positive effects it has on their wellbeing.
One student said: “Gardening makes me feel calm. If you are having a bad day it helps you whole body reset.”
Lily added: “The Garden is a safe and calm space.”
To achieve the Level One Award, the school has had to demonstrate that pupils understood the benefits of gardening, that they had made their growing space accessible and were successfully growing.
Hot on the heels of receiving the Level One Award, we have now submitted our evidence for Level 2 and are waiting to hear if we have been successful.
Students at Steyning Grammar School Sixth Form, part of the high-performing Bohunt Education Trust (BET), are celebrating today having secured excellent outcomes in their A Levels, and Applied qualifications, enabling them to secure places at prestigious universities, high quality apprenticeships and take their desired next steps.
The Sixth Form has commended the accomplishments of all students who have worked extremely hard throughout their studies. Amongst the successes included:
Steyning Sixth Form offers inspirational opportunities that stimulate and develop the students both inside and outside the classroom. We pride ourselves on offering our students intellectual challenge and in-depth learning of subject areas, supported by teachers who are experts in their field, and who know their students best.
Many of the sixth form students also take up the opportunity of boarding at the Sussex School, which provides further opportunities to nurture students and develop them as well-rounded individuals both inside and outside the classroom, fully prepared to transition to life at university or in work.
The Trust prides itself on its success in supporting students to complete their studies at the sixth form, as they then go on to take their place in society as knowledgeable, erudite and principled individuals who are confident and ready to realise their ambitions.
Aidan Timmons, Headteacher at Steyning Grammar School, said:
“Steyning Grammar 6th Form continues to offer excellent educational and enrichment opportunities for young people across the local area, supporting them to secure places at top universities and in exceptional careers. We are extremely proud of the 2025 cohort who have exceeded all expectations and we look forward to seeing them go on to study at universities of their choice, as well as undertaking apprenticeships or entering the world of work – whatever their next steps we know they will take with them their learnings and experiences during their time with us.”
Nicola Bedford, Head of Bohunt Sixth Form, said:
“We are extremely proud of all our students receiving their results today. Over the last two years, they have shown immense commitment, resilience and motivation to undertake their studies and achieve such excellent outcomes.”
Steyning Grammar School has won a national award for helping students to improve their reading skills.
The school was named the Most Engaged School (Key Stage 3 and 4) in the Reading Plus Awards 2025.
Reading Plus is an online reading programme, used by more than 1,400 schools in the UK.
It is designed to help improve students’ literacy skills, comprehension and reading speed.
The judges highlighted the amount of reading Steyning Grammar students had completed during the course of this academic year at home and in school and participation by staff and students in reading challenges and competitions.
The school’s Literacy and Numeracy lead, Mel King said:
“Winning the award is a wonderful achievement and a testament to the commitment of our fabulous teachers and dedicated students.
“Reading is so vital to young people’s prospects because it fosters cognitive development, enhances communication skills, and broadens perspectives, all of which are essential for academic achievement, career prospects, and personal well-being.”
Year 7 student Alice said: “I love reading, my favourite books are The Hunger Games series
Because they are futuristic and I really like relaxing with a book before bed.”
Ava said: “I’ve always liked reading but I think I have improved quite a bit in Year 7. I don’t just stick to one kind of book, I like lots of different kinds.”
Freddie added: “I’m really into the Loki Series. I have read and re-read all of them several times.”
Steyning Grammar School Building Project Reaches Exciting New Stage
Steyning Grammar School (SGS) is pleased to announce the next step in its major building project: the procurement stage. Department for Education (DfE)-appointed contractors will now bid for the chance to help shape the future of SGS by developing feasibility designs for new, sustainable facilities. A contractor will soon be appointed to take the project forward.
Aidan Timmons, Headteacher at SGS, said:
“We are excited to be moving forward and grateful for the ongoing support of our staff, students and wider community. Each step brings us closer to a modern, sustainable learning environment for everyone at SGS.”
Neil Strowger, Trust Leader of Bohunt Education Trust, said:
“SGS is a key part of the BET family and we are excited to see progress toward this immensely important project that will provide facilities to inspire students and the community for generations to come.”
The project will continue to progress through design, planning and approval stages, with regular updates provided by the School.
This academic year BET (Bohunt Education Trust) celebrates ten years of being a multi-academy trust.
What began as a single school – Bohunt School in Liphook – has blossomed into a high-achieving, thriving and supportive family, united by a shared vision of excellence and innovation.
BET’s remarkable growth over the past decade is a testament to a commitment to transformative education. We have accomplished so much together during the last ten years – growing from one school to nine, now serving over 12,500 students and employing a dedicated staff of educators and support professionals.
At the heart of BET’s success lies an unwavering commitment to our core values: enjoy respect achieve. Our ethos guides every aspect of our educational approach, fostering an environment within each of our schools where students can thrive, both academically and personally.
Looking ahead, BET remains committed to exploring new ways to enhance learning experiences, develop cutting-edge facilities and prepare our students for the challenge of tomorrow.
As we look forward to the next ten years and beyond, we are very excited to continue this journey of growth, innovation and excellence together
We are thrilled to announce the final total from our Zambia Day fundraising event, to help orphaned children, is a fantastic £3,212.80.
After visiting Zambia last year some of our students wanted to help the children they had met during the trip, whose parents had died from AIDS. The money collected from Zambia Day will be donated to the orphanage school which supports them.
A big thank you to everybody who donated.
Ten years ago an apple tree was planted in the grounds of our boarding school to launch the Boarding Schools Association’s “global orchard”.
A decade later the Director of the BSA, David Walker, came to tour our brilliant boarding facilities and sampled the apples from the flourishing tree, which was the first to be planted as part of his organisation’s worldwide project.
The scheme involves boarding schools across the world joining the orchard by planting fruit trees in their grounds. They demonstrate each school’s commitment to growth and caring for the environment.
David Walker said: “It was brilliant to see the tree so well looked after at Steyning. “How apt, that the kitchen will pick the cooking apples from the tree to feed hungry boarders!
“Boarding provision at Steyning is in excellent order and run by a fantastic, dedicated team,” he added.
Aidan Timmons, Head of School, Tom Leighton, Director of Boarding and Sally Randall, Deputy Director of Boarding proudly showed Mr Walker the boarding provision, which is home to students from all over the world.
Our school fashion show, ‘Changing Tides’ was a huge success, showcasing the talents of our Key Stage 4 and 5 textiles students. The theme was sustainable fashion and models wore the one off outfits they had designed. There were also fantastic musical and poetry performances.
A huge thank you to Mrs Lamb and every member of staff and volunteer who helped to make it such an entertaining night.
