The Present

On 31st August 2009, Boundstone Community College closed, and was replaced by The Sir Robert Woodard Academy - in a partnership between West Sussex County Council and the Woodard Trust.

The Recent Past

Boundstone was a large co-educational comprehensive school for pupils aged 11 to 18, with over 1200 students, including 110 in the Sixth Form, serving the communities of Lancing, Sompting and East Worthing.

In the academic year 2008-09 the school welcomed not only a new cohort of year 8s as usual, but 200+ Year 7s as well - into their new specially built block following the Age of Transfer changes in West Sussex. For the rest of the school it was business as usual and another exciting vibrant year.

In April 2009 the College was advised that it was in the top 200 Most Improved Schools in the country - a testament to the efforts of everyone at the College.

In addition the College had a Youth Wing and provided a rich and varied Community Education program attracting many adults to evening and weekend activities. It became a successful and thriving Community College, and was awarded Specialist College Status for the Performing Arts in September 2002.

The bid for Specialist Status was achieved in no small part by efforts of members of the community in helping to raise the requirement bid funds. One of the outcomes of this initiative was the building of the new Performing Arts Block - accomodatioon for a very wide variety of performing arts including dance, music and drama. The block is used not only by the College but other organisations from the Community.

The Past

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the boundary of Lancing Manor was marked with large stones. One was sited in Boundstone Lane, marking the western edge of Lancing and separating Lancing from Sompting.

The Bound Stone, after which the College is named, is now located on a brick plinth at the front of the Main Entrance Building. On the Friday 17th July 2009, the Bound Stone was handed over to the Boundstone Nursery who will become the new custodian of the stone. The plans for Boundstone School were drawn up in the late 1950s and it was officially opened by Sir John Hunt, C.B.E, D.S.O. on 18th October 1963. Since then the school has expanded, with buildings added in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s. The College opened a £1.4 million Performing Arts building in September 2004.