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Local authority · South East

Schools in Brighton and Hove

  • 63State-funded schools
  • 47Primary
  • 10Secondary
  • 3Special
  • South EastRegion
Applications per placeCircle size: applications
First choice · secondary 2026
83%
close to England (84%)
2,154 families applied
First choice · primary 2026
94%
close to England (92%)
1,936 families applied
Applications per place · secondary
3.1
0.8 above England median (2.2)
Median school
New Ofsted report cards
14of 63 schools
Results by area

How hard is it to get a place here?

DfE · families living in Brighton and Hove
Secondary (Year 7) · Sept 2026
83%got their first choice
close to England (84%)

2,154 applicants · 1.7% offered none of the schools they named

  1. 2026 83%; England 84%
  2. 2025 80%; England 84%
  3. 2024 78%; England 83%
  4. 2023 82%; England 83%
  5. 2022 85%; England 83%
  6. 2021 80%; England 81%
  7. 2020 84%; England 82%
  8. 2019 82%; England 81%
  9. 2018 84%; England 82%
  10. 2017 84%; England 83%
  11. 2016 82%; England 84%
  12. 2015 82%; England 84%
  13. 2014 82%; England 85%
  • Brighton and Hove
  • England
Every year as a table
EntryApplicantsFirst choiceOne of first threeNone they named
Sep 20262,15482.9%97.4%1.7%
Sep 20252,22979.5%96.8%3.2%
Sep 20242,24077.7%95.7%4.3%
Sep 20232,36582.5%95.9%4.1%
Sep 20222,35584.5%96.8%3.2%
Sep 20212,52180.4%93.8%6.2%
Sep 20202,32884.3%96.6%3.4%
Sep 20192,39382.3%95.8%4.2%
Sep 20182,44583.9%94.7%5.3%
Sep 20172,34383.7%93.9%6.1%
Sep 20162,22981.8%96.3%3.7%
Sep 20152,28582.0%95.8%4.2%
Sep 20142,22681.9%94.8%5.2%
Primary (Reception) · Sept 2026
94%got their first choice
close to England (92%)

1,936 applicants · 0.6% offered none of the schools they named

  1. 2026 94%; England 92%
  2. 2025 91%; England 93%
  3. 2024 92%; England 93%
  4. 2023 95%; England 92%
  5. 2022 94%; England 92%
  6. 2021 91%; England 92%
  7. 2020 89%; England 90%
  8. 2019 85%; England 91%
  9. 2018 90%; England 91%
  10. 2017 91%; England 90%
  11. 2016 88%; England 88%
  12. 2015 88%; England 88%
  13. 2014 82%; England 88%
  • Brighton and Hove
  • England
Every year as a table
EntryApplicantsFirst choiceOne of first threeNone they named
Sep 20261,93693.8%99.4%0.6%
Sep 20251,96591.2%99.1%0.9%
Sep 20242,11491.7%98.7%1.3%
Sep 20232,07394.7%99.7%0.3%
Sep 20222,17294.3%99.4%0.6%
Sep 20212,30090.8%99.1%0.9%
Sep 20202,37788.7%98.3%1.7%
Sep 20192,41784.9%93.5%6.5%
Sep 20182,43489.9%99.1%0.9%
Sep 20172,50290.7%98.7%1.3%
Sep 20162,66688.4%97.8%2.2%
Sep 20152,73188.4%96.4%3.6%
Sep 20142,83882.5%94.0%6.0%

What has Ofsted found here?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report cards 14 schools of 63 · since November 2025

  • Inclusion
  • Curriculum and teaching
  • Achievement
  • Attendance and behaviour
  • Personal development and wellbeing
  • Early years (8)
  • Post-16 provision (2)
  • Leadership and governance

One dot per school.

Overall grade from Ofsted's previous framework 36 schools · graded 2012 to 2024

  • Outstanding2
  • Good33
  • Requires improvement1
  • Inadequate0

Includes grades confirmed by a later ungraded inspection. Not comparable with report cards.

Graded 2024/25, no overall grade 12 schools

Key judgementOutstandingGoodRequires improvementInadequate
Quality of education48––
Behaviour and attitudes57––
Personal development84––
Leadership and management57––

Not yet inspected (new or reorganised schools): 1.

Latest report cards

Every new report card, month by month · RSS for Brighton and Hove

Secondary schools in Brighton and Hove

10 schools · Year 7 entry 2026

Change the order (visual only)

Sorted by applications per place for September 2026 entry, highest first.

Sorted by Attainment 8, highest first.

Sorted by the date of the latest Ofsted inspection, newest first.

Sorted by name.

Sources: DfE admissions (Sept 2026), KS4 results, Ofsted.
SchoolLatest OfstedApplications per placeAttainment 8FSM
Hove Park School and Sixth Form Centre 2026 5.2 applications per place 42.0 37%
King's School Faith 2026 4.8 applications per place 56.5 20%
Varndean School Good2022 3.9 applications per place 54.7 23%
Cardinal Newman Catholic School Faith Graded · no overall grade2024 3.4 applications per place 50.9 22%
Dorothy Stringer School Good2023 3.3 applications per place 50.5 27%
Patcham High School Remains Good2023 3.1 applications per place 46.7 26%
Blatchington Mill School 2026 2.7 applications per place 52.5 23%
Brighton Aldridge Community Academy Graded · no overall grade2025 2.4 applications per place 33.2 51%
Portslade Aldridge Community Academy 2026 2.0 applications per place 44.1 32%
Longhill High School 2026 1.6 applications per place 36.3 43%

Sources: DfE admissions (Sept 2026), KS4 results, Ofsted. FSM: free school meals.

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Primary schools in Brighton and Hove

47 schools · Reception entry 2026

Sorted by applications per place for September 2026 entry, highest first.

Sources: DfE admissions (Sept 2026), KS2 results, Ofsted.
SchoolLatest OfstedApplications per placeSATs standardFSM
Middle Street Primary School Good2024 16.0small intake applications per place 60% 28%
Benfield Primary School Remains Good2019 7.6small intake applications per place 50% 39%
Brackenbury Primary School 2026 5.3 applications per place 55% 35%
Carlton Hill Primary School Remains Good2024 5.0 applications per place 74% 41%
Queen's Park Primary School 2026 4.8 applications per place 30% 47%
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School Faith 2026 4.7 applications per place 66% 13%
West Blatchington Primary and Nursery School Not yet inspected 4.6 applications per place 53% 54%
Hertford Primary School Graded · no overall grade2025 4.4 applications per place 44% 37%
Fairlight Primary School Remains Good · improving2024 4.3 applications per place 51% 47%
St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean Faith Standards maintained2025 4.1 applications per place 65% 15%
Peter Gladwin Primary School Standards maintained2024 4.0 applications per place 77% 22%
St Mary Magdalen Catholic Primary School Faith Standards maintained2025 4.0small intake applications per place 61% 39%
Our Lady of Lourdes RC School Faith Remains Good2024 3.9 applications per place 48% 12%
Carden Nursery and Primary School 2026 3.8 applications per place 50% 38%
Elm Grove Primary School Remains Good2023 3.8 applications per place 39% 21%
St Andrew's CofE (Aided) Primary School Faith Standards maintained2024 3.5 applications per place 68% 20%
Balfour Primary School Good2023 3.3 applications per place 71% 11%
Stanford Primary School Good2022 3.3 applications per place – 7%
Hangleton Primary School Good2024 3.3 applications per place 51% 34%
Westdene Primary School Graded · no overall grade2024 3.3 applications per place 59% 13%
Cottesmore St Mary's Catholic Primary School Faith Good2023 3.3 applications per place 72% 15%
Goldstone Primary School Remains Good2023 3.2 applications per place 57% 19%
Downs Infant School Graded · no overall grade2024 3.1 applications per place – 12%
Moulsecoomb Primary School Graded · no overall grade2024 3.1 applications per place 46% 63%
Bilingual Primary School - Brighton & Hove 2026 2.9 applications per place 76% 12%
Aldrington CofE Primary School Faith 2026 2.9 applications per place 63% 16%
St Martin's CofE Primary School Faith Good2024 2.9 applications per place 60% 40%
St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School Faith Graded · no overall grade2024 2.9 applications per place 40% 39%
Brunswick Primary School Requires improvement2024 2.9 applications per place 57% 21%
St Mark's CofE Primary School Faith Graded · no overall grade2025 2.8 applications per place 33% 61%
St Luke's Primary School Graded · no overall grade2025 2.7 applications per place 60% 20%
West Hove Infant School Graded · no overall grade2024 2.7 applications per place – 14%
St Mary's Catholic Primary School Faith Remains Good · improving2023 2.6 applications per place 63% 27%
Bevendean Primary School and Nursery Graded · no overall grade2024 2.4 applications per place 69% 48%
St Nicolas CofE Primary School Faith Good2022 2.4 applications per place 59% 18%
St Paul's CofE Primary School Faith 2026 2.1 applications per place 76% 32%
Patcham Infant School Good2022 2.0 applications per place – 9%
Coldean Primary School Good2022 1.8 applications per place 46% 48%
Saltdean Primary School Good2024 1.8 applications per place 52% 19%
Rudyard Kipling Primary School & Nursery Remains Good2022 1.8 applications per place 46% 23%
Mile Oak Primary School Good2022 1.6 applications per place 58% 30%
City Academy Whitehawk Good2024 1.3 applications per place 57% 63%
Coombe Road Primary School Remains Good2023 no data – –
Downs Junior School Good2023 no data 60% 17%
Hove Junior School Graded · no overall grade2025 no data 76% 24%
Patcham Junior School Standards maintained2024 no data 72% 16%
Woodingdean Primary School Good2023 no data – –

Sources: DfE admissions (Sept 2026), KS2 results, Ofsted. FSM: free school meals.

Special schools and other provision

6 schools