1
Uckfield College
Uckfield • East Sussex • TN22 3DJ
1
9 Jun 2024
Top 10 Secondary schools in East Sussex
Updated for the latest inspections (median graded year: 2022)
This Top 10 showcases secondary schools in the county of East Sussex. It’s built from the latest graded Ofsted inspections. We rank Outstanding (grade 1) above Good (grade 2), then prioritise newer inspections. As tie-breakers, we consider the “Quality of education” sub-judgement (where available), then %FSM and school size.
Total secondary schools
32
Outstanding
3
Good
19
Median inspection year
2022
Ofsted grade mix (graded schools)
O: 10% · G: 63% · RI: 27% · I: 0%
2
Beacon Academy
Crowborough • East Sussex • TN6 2AS
1
20 May 2024
3
Seaford Head School
Seaford • East Sussex • BN25 4LX
1
17 Oct 2017
4
Dorothy Stringer School
Brighton • East Sussex • BN1 6PZ
2
20 Nov 2023
5
Peacehaven Community School
Peacehaven • East Sussex • BN10 8RB
2
12 Nov 2023
6
Heathfield Community College
Heathfield • East Sussex • TN21 8RJ
2
5 Jul 2023
7
Rye College
Rye • East Sussex • TN31 7NQ
2
6 Mar 2023
8
Varndean School
Brighton • East Sussex • BN1 6NP
2
15 Nov 2022
9
Seahaven Academy
Newhaven • East Sussex • BN9 9TD
2
13 Jan 2022
10
St Richard's Catholic College
Bexhill-on-Sea • East Sussex • TN40 1SE
2
11 Jan 2022
How we rank these schools
- Headline Ofsted grade: Outstanding (1) outranks Good (2), then RI (3), then Inadequate (4).
- More recent graded inspection dates rank higher.
- Where available, we use the Quality of education sub-judgement as a tie-breaker.
- Lower free school meals (%) may break remaining ties.
- Larger roll (pupil count) is a final tie-breaker.
Only the ten highest-ranked schools are shown; we also list “near misses” just below.
About Ofsted grades
- Outstanding (1): Highest judgement across key areas.
- Good (2): Strong effectiveness; meets standards consistently.
- Requires improvement (3): Not yet good; clear areas to improve.
- Inadequate (4): Significant weaknesses found.
Ungraded Section 8 visits check whether the previous graded judgement still stands, but they don’t replace it.
Data freshness & coverage
We refresh inspections and school snapshots regularly. If a school was inspected very recently, its report may not yet appear here.
Top-10 pages only appear for areas with at least 10 secondary schools that have a graded Ofsted inspection.
Map of the Top 10
Also highly rated nearby
- St Catherine's College 2 • Dec 2019
- King's Academy Ringmer 2 • Jun 2019
- Claverham Community College 2 • Nov 2018
- Patcham High School 2 • Dec 2017
- Portslade Aldridge Community Academy 2 • Dec 2016
- Priory School 2 • Apr 2015
- Uplands Academy 2 • Sep 2013
- Ratton School 2 • May 2013
- Hove Park School and Sixth Form Centre 2 • Mar 2013
- Blatchington Mill School 2 • Mar 2013