Graded inspection · Jan 2025 Previous framework
- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
This schoolOther secondary schools in East Sussex
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Outstanding | Good | Requires improvement | Inadequate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of education | Outstanding | |||
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding | |||
| Personal development | Outstanding | |||
| Leadership and management | Outstanding | |||
| Early years provision | Outstanding |
Inspection history
- 28 January 2025Graded inspection, no overall grade
- 20 September 2023Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Improving)
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 entry630 applications · 118 places offered · 182 named it first
- 2026 5.3; East Sussex median median 1.9
- 2025 5.3; East Sussex median median 1.9
- 2024 5.0; East Sussex median median 1.9
- 2023 4.8; East Sussex median median 1.9
- 2022 4.4; East Sussex median median 1.8
- 2021 3.7; East Sussex median median 1.9
- 2020 4.4; East Sussex median median 1.7
- 2019 2.8; East Sussex median median 1.8
- 2018 2.8; East Sussex median median 1.7
- 2017 3.1; East Sussex median median 1.6
- 2016 2.4; East Sussex median median 1.7
- 2015 2.6; East Sussex median median 1.4
- 2014 2.6; East Sussex median median 1.5
- This school
- East Sussex median
Reception entry, September 2026: 3.6 per place (218 applications for 60 places).
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council
Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, 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 | 118 | 630 | 5.3 | 182 | 1.54 |
| Sep 2025 | 118 | 620 | 5.3 | 190 | 1.61 |
| Sep 2024 | 117 | 580 | 5.0 | 193 | 1.65 |
| Sep 2023 | 116 | 555 | 4.8 | 217 | 1.87 |
| Sep 2022 | 119 | 528 | 4.4 | 229 | 1.92 |
| Sep 2021 | 148 | 547 | 3.7 | 190 | 1.28 |
| Sep 2020 | 120 | 528 | 4.4 | 199 | 1.66 |
| Sep 2019 | 180 | 506 | 2.8 | 185 | 1.03 |
| Sep 2018 | 166 | 459 | 2.8 | 151 | 0.91 |
| Sep 2017 | 140 | 432 | 3.1 | 108 | 0.77 |
| Sep 2016 | 126 | 297 | 2.4 | 101 | 0.80 |
| Sep 2015 | 129 | 333 | 2.6 | 113 | 0.88 |
| Sep 2014 | 131 | 342 | 2.6 | 116 | 0.89 |
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.) | 174 | 48.2 | 51% | 67% | – |
| 2024/25 | 170 | 47.3 | 53% | 72% | – |
| 2023/24 | 176 | 50.7 | 56% | 77% | +0.47 |
| 2022/23 | 175 | 48.4 | 50% | 74% | +0.38 |
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
- The Cavendish SchoolThis schoolThis schoolGraded · no overall grade20255.3applications per place 48.2Attainment 8
- 1.2 km · East Sussex20262.7applications per place 45.5Attainment 8
- 1.4 km · East SussexGraded · no overall grade20244.0applications per place 48.9Attainment 8
- 2.4 km · East SussexSerious weaknesses Graded · no overall grade20250.9applications per place 37.1Attainment 8
- 3.7 km · East Sussex20261.2applications per place 31.7Attainment 8
- 3.7 km · East SussexRemains Good20232.6applications per place 45.2Attainment 8
- 4.5 km · East SussexStandards maintained20252.3applications per place 45.6Attainment 8
- 9.6 km · East SussexSerious weaknesses Inadequate20230.9applications per place 35.4Attainment 8
- 10.1 km · East SussexRemains Outstanding20231.8applications per place 48.5Attainment 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 converter
- Phase
- All-through
- URN · DfE number
- 138475 · 845/4064
- Trust
- Cavendish Education Trust
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Capacity
- 1,320 pupils · 1,399 on roll
- Free school meals
- 17.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Nursery
- Has nursery classes
- Opened
- 1 August 2012
- Replaced
- The Cavendish School (URN 114605)
- Address
- Eldon Road, Eastbourne, BN21 1UE
- Local authority
- East Sussex · Eastbourne
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources