Cuckmere House School
Eastbourne Road, Seaford, BN25 4BAOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Cuckmere House School is a special school in Seaford for ages 6 to 16. It is one of the 214 schools in East Sussex. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 8 July 2025, report published 9 September 2025
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 8 July 2025
Pupils often arrive at this school with significant disruption to their education. Kind and caring staff have high expectations for pupils' achievements and wider success. They work with determination to understand pupils' individual social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. Staff use a range of effective approaches to quickly minimise or remove the barriers that pupils face. As a result, pupils feel valued, safe and happy. They achieve well from their starting points. Pupils are proud to be part of this vibrant and inclusive school. They grow to appreciate their differences and develop genuine friendships. There is a tangible sense of belonging here. Staff help pupils to manage their emotions by employing a range of carefully thought out strategies. Pupils learn to reflect on their feelings and actions. This helps them to build their self-confidence, resilience and character. Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to develop their interests and talents. They relish the 'options programme', which includes activities, such as chess, cooking, indoor games and computing. Older pupils can also complete the Duke of Edinburgh award. The school provides rich experiences for pupils, which help them to grow in their understanding of the local area and beyond. Pupils relish these and thrive as a result.
What the school should improve
- Some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. As a result, these pupils miss out on essential learning and vital school experiences. The trust should persist with determination to ensure that their ongoing work leads to further tangible improvements in pupils' attendance.
- In a few subjects, the school does not make use of its subject expertise to deliver the curriculum effectively. As a result, some pupils do not learn as well as they could. The trust should move forward with its actions to address this so that all pupils experience high-quality teaching across the curriculum and achieve strong outcomes.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
14 pupils took the tests
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
7 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
92 pupils on roll, with places for 66
Schools near Cuckmere House School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowden House School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 11.1 |
| The South Downs School | 5 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | 0% met the expected standard |
| The Lindfield School | 6 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 8.6 |
| Summerdown School | 7 miles | Ofsted judgements: Outstanding | 0% met the expected standard |
| Anderida Learning Centre | 7 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
School details
- School type
- Academy special converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- THE SABDEN MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 6 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Headteacher
- Mr David Donnelly
- Phone
- 01323691000
- Address
- Eastbourne Road, Seaford, BN25 4BA
- Local authority
- East Sussex
- URN
- 142146
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.