Chailey School, Lewes

Ofsted's report card from its 10 February 2026 inspection grades Chailey School on 6 areas: 4 strong standard and 2 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "The school keeps a close eye on attendance."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders rightly believe that high-quality inclusive teaching is the foundation of success for pupils."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders are highly ambitious for the school, its staff and its pupils."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "A clear and well-organised personal development programme runs from Year 7 through to Year 11."

Achievement - Expected standard. "When pupils start at Chailey School, their achievement is close to the national averages for reading, writing and mathematics."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Pupils learn a broad range of subjects."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teaching is further strengthened, particularly assessment practices, so that pupils consistently produce high-quality work and achieve well across all subjects".

In its own words: "Our pastoral system is very important to us. As a Chailey family your first contact for welfare issues should be your child's tutor."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am delighted to welcome you to Chailey School. We are an 11-16 secondary comprehensive school situated in rural Sussex and we serve many surrounding villages and towns in both East and West Sussex. I am privileged to lead such a fantastic community with a unique ethos and focus on 'kindness'."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, dance, drama, choir, orchestra, guitar, STEM and maths club.

Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 11 November 2026, an open evening on Thursday 12 November 2026, an open day on Wednesday 21 April 2027 at 8.30am and an open day on Friday 23 April 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Chailey School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.5 in East Sussex and 47 across England.

58% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in East Sussex and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 49.3.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.36: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 32.2, against 52.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 20.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 219 families put Chailey School as their first choice and 552 named it as one of their preferences, for 174 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 60 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Chailey School are The Burgess Hill Academy (4.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.7); King's Academy Ringmer (5.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.6); Oathall Community College (5.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 51.3); and Warden Park Secondary Academy (6.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 55).

Chailey School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

239 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Chailey School (as of April 2026): 92% would recommend the school, 87% say their child is happy there and 68% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (68%).

Of the 155 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 46% to a further education college and 2% into work.

14.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Plumpton Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Chailey School (outside), 130 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 7 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65).

In 2024/25, Chailey School issued 104 suspensions, 12.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Chailey School are Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School (1.4 miles) and Plumpton Primary School (1.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.