Best Schools in Eastbourne

How many schools are there in Eastbourne?

Eastbourne has 35 open schools: 19 state primary, 7 state secondary or all-through, 3 independent, 5 special and 1 other.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Eastbourne are rated Outstanding?

3 schools in Eastbourne were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Hazel Court School, The Lindfield School and The South Downs School. Counting Good as well, 81% of the 27 graded schools here are rated Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

Hazel Court SchoolThe Lindfield SchoolThe South Downs School

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Eastbourne get the best GCSE results?

Of the 8 schools in Eastbourne with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at Gildredge House, with an Attainment 8 score of 48.9 and 50% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; The Cavendish School, with an Attainment 8 score of 48.2 and 51% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and St Catherine's College, with an Attainment 8 score of 45.6 and 45% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

Gildredge HouseThe Cavendish SchoolSt Catherine's College

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Eastbourne have the best SATs results?

Of the 14 primary schools in Eastbourne with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at The Cavendish School (89% in reading, 98% in maths); St John's Meads Church of England Primary School (81% in reading, 84% in maths); and Gildredge House (87% in reading, 73% in maths). Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

The Cavendish SchoolSt John's Meads Church of England Primary SchoolGildredge House

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Eastbourne?

No. None of the state secondary schools in Eastbourne selects pupils by ability, so every state secondary here is comprehensive.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Eastbourne have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Eastbourne have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, East Sussex allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then home-to-school distance - so the practical cut-off moves each year. Each school's page here shows an estimate of its catchment radius.

How do I apply for a school place in Eastbourne?

Apply to East Sussex through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts. Independent schools run their own admissions, so apply to those directly.