Uplands Academy
Lower High Street, Wadhurst, TN5 6AZOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Uplands Academy is a secondary school in Wadhurst for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 214 schools in East Sussex. It ranks 15th of 22 secondary schools in East Sussex. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in July 2013.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 4 July 2013, report published 5 September 2013
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 14 January 2025
The school fosters a keen sense of community where manners, acceptance, respect and kindness are central to its ethos. Pupils enjoy school and feel safe. Their learning is supported by strong relationships and constructive guidance. The school has high expectations for behaviour and engagement. Pupils appreciate the way that their teachers know them well, and this helps to maintain a focused classroom atmosphere. Behaviour is largely positive, and low-level disruption is addressed effectively. Pupils value opportunities to develop their leadership skills. Members of the student council provide useful feedback that helps to shape school decisions. Membership also benefits individual pupils as they develop their own leadership and organisational abilities. The school offers a broad extra-curricular and enrichment programme. Many pupils enjoy the music clubs, sporting events and the drama productions. Additionally, pupils appreciate the assemblies, tutor time discussions and personal development conversations that help them to navigate life in modern Britain. This includes considering protected characteristics, healthy relationships and online safety. Pupils also benefit from the school's ambition for their academic achievement. Recent improvements in pupils' reading skills help them to access the broad curriculum on offer. Outcomes in public examinations have improved overall.
What the school should improve
- There is still some variation in how well the curriculum is implemented. Consequently, not all pupils and groups of pupils achieve as highly as they could. The school should ensure that staff use available information about pupils' learning so that pupils develop knowledge securely and systematically.
- Some parents are dissatisfied with their interactions with the school. This has led to lack of parental confidence, which in turn hampers pupils' confidence in their school. Leaders should continue their efforts to ensure the ongoing support, understanding and engagement of parents and the wider community.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
119 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
25 students
Average A level grade C-, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
699 pupils on roll, with places for 1,000
Schools near Uplands Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayfield School | 4 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 63.5 |
| Beechwood School | 6 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 21.7 |
| Skinners' Kent Academy | 6 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 38.4 |
| The Skinners' School | 7 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | Attainment 8: 70.8 |
| Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School | 7 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 73.4 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- MARK EDUCATION TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Ms Zoe James
- Phone
- 01892782135
- Address
- Lower High Street, Wadhurst, TN5 6AZ
- Local authority
- East Sussex
- URN
- 148945
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.