Report card · inspected Jan 2026
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
This schoolOther secondary schools in East Sussex
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Exceptional | Strong standard | Expected standard | Needs attention | Urgent improvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inclusion | Expected standard | ||||
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard | ||||
| Achievement | Needs attention | ||||
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard | ||||
| Personal development and wellbeing | Expected standard | ||||
| Early years | Does not apply to this school | ||||
| Post-16 provision | Does not apply to this school | ||||
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard | ||||
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
- Does not apply
Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.
Inspection history
- 13 January 2026Report card · 5 Expected standard, 1 Needs attention
- 26 September 2023Graded inspection: Requires improvement
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 entry302 applications · 207 places offered · 201 named it first
- 2026 1.5; East Sussex median median 1.9
- 2025 1.7; East Sussex median median 1.9
- 2024 1.2; East Sussex median median 1.9
- 2023 1.4; East Sussex median median 1.9
- 2022 1.4; East Sussex median median 1.8
- 2021 1.6; East Sussex median median 1.9
- 2020 1.6; East Sussex median median 1.7
- 2019 1.9; East Sussex median median 1.8
- 2018 1.7; East Sussex median median 1.7
- 2017 1.5; East Sussex median median 1.6
- 2016 1.4; East Sussex median median 1.7
- 2015 1.3; East Sussex median median 1.4
- 2014 1.4; East Sussex median median 1.5
- This school
- East Sussex 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 | 207 | 302 | 1.5 | 201 | 0.97 |
| Sep 2025 | 170 | 292 | 1.7 | 164 | 0.96 |
| Sep 2024 | 168 | 206 | 1.2 | 112 | 0.67 |
| Sep 2023 | 167 | 239 | 1.4 | 146 | 0.87 |
| Sep 2022 | 174 | 251 | 1.4 | 161 | 0.93 |
| Sep 2021 | 177 | 279 | 1.6 | 175 | 0.99 |
| Sep 2020 | 180 | 282 | 1.6 | 186 | 1.03 |
| Sep 2019 | 176 | 342 | 1.9 | 258 | 1.47 |
| Sep 2018 | 175 | 290 | 1.7 | 207 | 1.18 |
| Sep 2017 | 178 | 275 | 1.5 | 197 | 1.11 |
| Sep 2016 | 170 | 245 | 1.4 | 178 | 1.05 |
| Sep 2015 | 171 | 229 | 1.3 | 174 | 1.02 |
| Sep 2014 | 171 | 243 | 1.4 | 172 | 1.01 |
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.) | 139 | 38.5 | 27% | 51% | – |
| 2024/25 | 148 | 38.2 | 27% | 55% | – |
| 2023/24 | 173 | 33.4 | 23% | 44% | −1.29 |
| 2022/23 | 170 | 30.3 | 15% | 47% | −1.48 |
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
- Mulberry Academy HastingsThis schoolThis school20261.5applications per place 38.5Attainment 8
- 3.3 km · East Sussex20261.6applications per place 45.4Attainment 8
- 6.2 km · East SussexSpecial measures Graded · no overall grade2025
- 9.8 km · East SussexGood20212.4applications per place
- 11.1 km · East SussexRemains Good · improving20243.1applications per place 48.0Attainment 8
- 11.6 km · East SussexGraded · no overall grade20251.3applications per place 45.7Attainment 8
- 11.7 km · East SussexGood20231.8applications per place 40.6Attainment 8
- 15.9 km · East SussexSpecial measures Inadequate20241.9applications per place 40.3Attainment 8
- 22.5 km · KentGood20231.9applications per place 37.7Attainment 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
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 136401 · 845/4612
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Capacity
- 900 pupils · 833 on roll
- Free school meals
- 47.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
- SEN provision
- SEN unit
- Opened
- 1 September 2011
- Replaced
- Hillcrest School (URN 114601)
- Address
- Rye Road, Hastings, TN35 5DN
- Local authority
- East Sussex · Hastings
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources