The Flagship School

  • Special
  • Free school
  • Ages 7 to 16
Report card: Expected standard

The Ridge, Hastings, TN34 2AEOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

The Flagship School is a special school in Hastings for ages 7 to 16. It is one of the 214 schools in East Sussex. Its latest Ofsted outcome is a report card, from an inspection in January 2026.

Ofsted report card

Inspected 20 January 2026, report published 28 May 2026

Each area is graded from urgent improvement to exceptional, and safeguarding is either met or not met.

Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 January 2026

Pupils are valued by staff at this school. Staff develop warm, professional relationships with pupils. Pupils trust staff and know that they will support them to do their best. They know staff will deal with bullying if it occurs. Pupils know that their voice matters and that staff will listen to any concerns they have. This helps the majority of pupils to feel happy and safe in school. As a result, most pupils re-engage with learning effectively and attend more regularly than in the past. Pupils are generally well-behaved and respectful of other members of the school community. This is particularly the case in lessons, where they show that they are keen to learn. This contributes to a sense of purpose across the school. Pupils are supported to become more successful at regulating their emotions. They are supported effectively to manage challenging situations. This gives them some essential skills for adulthood. Leaders and staff have high ambitions for all pupils. They help them to achieve these through the support they receive in class. This reduces barriers to learning. There is a well-planned curriculum in place across most subjects. Pupils make progress from their starting points. There is an increasing range of qualifications available for all pupils. More pupils are now achieving in qualifications up to GCSE level. This supports them to be well prepared for their next steps. Pupils experience an increasing number of opportunities beyond the curriculum in school and in the wider community. This is evident in their engagement with outdoor learning and local organisations such as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Pupils learn about being a volunteer as part of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme. The care and ambition that staff show mean that most pupils thrive during their time at the school.

What the school should improve

  • Leaders should continue to act on their identified priorities for development, and rigorously monitor the impact of these so that there is consistent improvement across all areas.
  • Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is delivered and adapted consistently well so that pupils are equally successful across all subjects.
  • Leaders should continue their work to improve overall attendance, particularly for pupils who are persistently or severely absent.

Exam results

GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25

6 pupils in the year group

Attainment 8 score6.0

6.0, 40.1 below the England average of 46.1.

Grade 5 or above in English and maths16.7%

16.7%, 28.7 percentage points below the England average of 45.4%.

Grade 4 or above in English and maths16.7%

16.7%, 48.1 percentage points below the England average of 64.8%.

Pupils entering the EBacc0%

0%, 40.5 percentage points below the England average of 40.5%.

EBacc average point score0.45

0.45, 3.64 below the England average of 4.09.

Pupil numbers and mix

63 pupils on roll, with places for 80

Eligible for free school meals58.7%

58.7%, 32.2 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language0%

0%, 21.6 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support0%

0%, 14.8 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan100%

100%, 94 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near The Flagship School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Torfield School0.1 milesOfsted: Outstanding0% met the expected standard
New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)2 milesOfsted judgements: GoodAttainment 8: 8.9
Saxon Mount School3 milesOfsted judgements: OutstandingAttainment 8: 8.9
Glyne Gap School4 milesOfsted: Outstanding0% met the expected standard
St Mary's School and 6th Form College5 milesOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 10.1

School details

School type
Free schools special
Sector
Free school
Trust
THE BECKMEAD TRUST
Age range
7 to 16
Gender
Mixed
Headteacher
Mr Grégoire Godin
Address
The Ridge, Hastings, TN34 2AE
Local authority
East Sussex
URN
149695

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.