Graded inspection · Oct 2022 Previous framework
- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
This schoolOther secondary schools in Brighton and Hove
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Outstanding | Good | Requires improvement | Inadequate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good | |||
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding | |||
| Personal development | Outstanding | |||
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades
About these grades
Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.
How hard is it to get a place?
DfE · Sept 2026 entry1,076 applications · 279 places offered · 350 named it first
- 2026 3.9; Brighton and Hove median median 3.1
- 2025 3.4; Brighton and Hove median median 2.5
- 2024 3.7; Brighton and Hove median median 2.4
- 2023 3.6; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
- 2022 3.5; Brighton and Hove median median 2.5
- 2021 3.7; Brighton and Hove median median 2.5
- 2020 3.5; Brighton and Hove median median 2.7
- 2019 3.7; Brighton and Hove median median 2.7
- 2018 3.7; Brighton and Hove median median 2.5
- 2017 3.9; Brighton and Hove median median 2.5
- 2016 3.4; Brighton and Hove median median 2.4
- 2015 3.3; Brighton and Hove median median 2.4
- 2014 3.6; Brighton and Hove median median 2.3
- This school
- Brighton and Hove median
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council
How this is measured
Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.
| Entry | Places | Applications | Per place | First preferences | First-pref. ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 279 | 1,076 | 3.9 | 350 | 1.25 |
| Sep 2025 | 285 | 977 | 3.4 | 411 | 1.44 |
| Sep 2024 | 278 | 1,031 | 3.7 | 435 | 1.56 |
| Sep 2023 | 291 | 1,045 | 3.6 | 401 | 1.38 |
| Sep 2022 | 303 | 1,073 | 3.5 | 436 | 1.44 |
| Sep 2021 | 294 | 1,080 | 3.7 | 379 | 1.29 |
| Sep 2020 | 291 | 1,026 | 3.5 | 293 | 1.01 |
| Sep 2019 | 290 | 1,061 | 3.7 | 294 | 1.01 |
| Sep 2018 | 292 | 1,077 | 3.7 | 347 | 1.19 |
| Sep 2017 | 265 | 1,023 | 3.9 | 299 | 1.13 |
| Sep 2016 | 281 | 946 | 3.4 | 216 | 0.77 |
| Sep 2015 | 276 | 920 | 3.3 | 212 | 0.77 |
| Sep 2014 | 270 | 960 | 3.6 | 216 | 0.80 |
How did pupils do at GCSE?
DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisionalEvery year as a table
| Year | Pupils | Attainment 8 | 5+ Eng & maths | 4+ Eng & maths | Progress 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (prov.) | 293 | 54.7 | 68% | 82% | – |
| 2024/25 | 299 | 48.8 | 56% | 73% | – |
| 2023/24 | 293 | 53.5 | 66% | 80% | +0.42 |
| 2022/23 | 293 | 54.5 | 68% | 82% | +0.36 |
Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.
Schools nearby
The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority
- Varndean SchoolThis schoolThis schoolGood20223.9applications per place 54.7Attainment 8
- 0.5 km · Brighton and HoveGood20233.3applications per place 50.5Attainment 8
- 1.4 km · Brighton and HoveRemains Good20233.1applications per place 46.7Attainment 8
- 2.1 km · Brighton and HoveGraded · no overall grade20243.4applications per place 50.9Attainment 8
- 3.1 km · Brighton and HoveGraded · no overall grade20252.4applications per place 33.2Attainment 8
- 3.2 km · Brighton and Hove20262.7applications per place 52.5Attainment 8
- 3.2 km · Brighton and Hove20265.2applications per place 42.0Attainment 8
- 3.9 km · Brighton and Hove20264.8applications per place 56.5Attainment 8
- 6.0 km · Brighton and Hove20261.6applications per place 36.3Attainment 8
- 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.
School details
- Type
- Community school
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 114579 · 846/4012
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Capacity
- 1,500 pupils · 1,487 on roll
- Free school meals
- 23.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Address
- Balfour Road, Brighton, BN1 6NP
- Local authority
- Brighton and Hove
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources