Best Secondary Schools in East Sussex

We checked all 39 secondary schools in East Sussex and list every one: 22 ranked, then 17 without a rank.

Schools checked: 39
Ranked: 22
Without a rank: 17

Ranks combine 2024/25 GCSE results, worth 60% of each school's score, with the latest Ofsted outcome, worth 40%, as how we rank schools sets out. Rank 1 is the highest score across East Sussex, and each school's town is shown. Schools with the same score share a rank. Schools without published results or an Ofsted outcome follow the ranked schools, in name order.

East Sussex also has 148 primary schools, ranked on SATs results and Ofsted. Every school in the area is also listed with the other schools in East Sussex. East Sussex also has rankings for Eastbourne and Lewes.

Ranked secondary schools in East Sussex

Rank 1
Beacon Academy
Crowborough, Academy, 1,642 pupils, inspected April 2024
Ofsted: Outstanding
Attainment 8
50.2
Grade 5+ English and maths
61.1%
Rank 2
Seaford Head School
Seaford, Academy, 1,461 pupils, inspected September 2017
Ofsted: Outstanding
Attainment 8
49.4
Grade 5+ English and maths
50%
Rank 3
The Cavendish School
Eastbourne, Academy, 1,399 pupils, inspected January 2025
Ofsted judgements: Outstanding
Attainment 8
47.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
52.9%
Rank 4
Uckfield College
Uckfield, Local authority maintained, 1,671 pupils, inspected April 2024
Ofsted: Outstanding
Attainment 8
47.0
Grade 5+ English and maths
46.2%
Rank 5
Chailey School
Lewes, Local authority maintained, 862 pupils, inspected February 2026
Report card: Expected standard to strong standard
Attainment 8
49.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
52.4%
Rank 6
Claverham Community College
Battle, Local authority maintained, 1,147 pupils, inspected October 2018
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
50.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
56.4%
Rank 7
Heathfield Community College
Heathfield, Local authority maintained, 1,416 pupils, inspected May 2023
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
50.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
53.9%
Rank 8
Priory School
Lewes, Local authority maintained, 1,153 pupils, inspected February 2015
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
46.4
Grade 5+ English and maths
52.4%
Rank 9
St Catherine's College
Eastbourne, Academy, 1,064 pupils, inspected November 2019
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
47.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
45.6%
Rank 10
Gildredge House
Eastbourne, Free school, 1,169 pupils, inspected October 2024
Ofsted judgements: Good
Attainment 8
46.7
Grade 5+ English and maths
45.3%
Rank 11
Willingdon Community School
Eastbourne, Local authority maintained, 1,117 pupils, inspected October 2012
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
45.0
Grade 5+ English and maths
48.5%
Rank 12
King's Academy Ringmer
Lewes, Academy, 659 pupils, inspected May 2019
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
47.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
41.4%
Rank 13
Ark Alexandra Academy
Hastings, Academy, 1,315 pupils, inspected June 2026
Report card: Strong standard
Attainment 8
42.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
40.7%
Rank 14
Ratton School
Eastbourne, Academy, 1,183 pupils, inspected May 2026
Report card: Expected standard
Attainment 8
43.0
Grade 5+ English and maths
43.2%
Rank 15
Uplands Academy
Wadhurst, Academy, 699 pupils, inspected July 2013
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
42.5
Grade 5+ English and maths
37%
Rank 16
Seahaven Academy
Newhaven, Academy, 701 pupils, inspected November 2025
Report card: Expected standard
Attainment 8
40.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
39.6%
Rank 17
Bexhill High Academy
Bexhill-on-Sea, Academy, 1,441 pupils, inspected May 2025
Ofsted judgements: Good
Attainment 8
41.7
Grade 5+ English and maths
34.4%
Rank 18
Peacehaven Community School
Peacehaven, Academy, 890 pupils, inspected October 2023
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
40.1
Grade 5+ English and maths
32.8%
Rank 19
Rye College
Rye, Academy, 645 pupils, inspected January 2023
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
36.8
Grade 5+ English and maths
35%
Rank 20
Mulberry Academy Hastings
Hastings, Academy, 833 pupils, inspected January 2026
Report card: Needs attention to expected standard
Attainment 8
38.2
Grade 5+ English and maths
27%
Rank 21
The Turing School
Eastbourne, Academy, 771 pupils, inspected February 2026
Report card: Needs attention to expected standard
Attainment 8
34.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
27.2%
Rank 22
The Eastbourne Academy
Eastbourne, Academy, 776 pupils, inspected January 2025
Ofsted judgements: Inadequate to requires improvement
Attainment 8
37.7
Grade 5+ English and maths
25%

Secondary schools in East Sussex without a rank

Battle Abbey School
Battle, Independent, 459 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
42.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
Bede's Senior School
Hailsham, Independent, 763 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
26.4
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
Buckswood School
Guestling, Independent, 193 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
16.1
Grade 5+ English and maths
1.7%
Claremont School
St Leonards-on-Sea, Independent, 418 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
36.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
Cumnor House School
Haywards Heath, Independent, 423 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Darvell School
Robertsbridge, Independent, 68 pupils, inspected September 2025
Ofsted: Good
Eastbourne College
Eastbourne, Independent, Selective, 560 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
40.2
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
Greenfields School
Forest Row, Independent, 93 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
14.6
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
Hailsham Academy
Hailsham, Academy, 1,577 pupils, inspected March 2023
Ofsted: Inadequate
Lewes Old Grammar School
Lewes, Independent, 675 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
60.4
Grade 5+ English and maths
75.8%
Marlborough House Vinehall School
Robertsbridge, Independent, 292 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Mayfield School
Mayfield, Independent, 349 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
Attainment 8
63.5
Grade 5+ English and maths
35.5%
Michael Hall School
Forest Row, Independent, 384 pupils, inspected September 2024
Ofsted: Good
Attainment 8
35.8
Grade 5+ English and maths
46.9%
Mulberry Academy St Leonards
St Leonards-on-Sea, Academy, inspected January 2025
Ofsted judgements: Inadequate
Robertsbridge Community College
Robertsbridge, Academy, 644 pupils, inspected April 2024
Ofsted: Inadequate
St Andrew's Prep
Eastbourne, Independent, 263 pupils
No Ofsted inspection
St Richard's Catholic College
Bexhill-on-Sea, Academy, 1,029 pupils, inspected October 2021
Ofsted: Good