Gildredge House, Eastbourne

From the headteacher's welcome: "Gildredge House is a values-driven school where a deep sense of belonging, strong teaching and exceptional opportunities help every child grow in confidence and achieve their best from Reception to Year 11. Many children begin their journey with us in Reception, while others join our secondary phase in Year 7."

Coming up: an open evening on Thursday 12 November 2026, an open day on Friday 13 November 2026, an open day on Tuesday 17 November 2026 at 9am and an open day on Wednesday 18 November 2026 at 9am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Gildredge House averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.5 in East Sussex and 47 across England.

50% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in East Sussex and 47% in England.

That is up from 46.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.16: 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 37.1, against 51.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 14.8 points.

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

For September 2026 entry, 93 families put Gildredge House as their first choice and 356 named it as one of their preferences, for 90 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 24 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Gildredge House are The Cavendish School (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.2); Ratton School (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.5); The Eastbourne Academy (2.2 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 37.1); and The Turing School (2.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 31.7).

Gildredge House's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Gildredge House is run by its own single-school academy trust.

216 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Gildredge House (as of September 2025): 87% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 63% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (63%).

Of the 146 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 43% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 41 students who left the sixth form in 2022/23, 49% went on to university or other higher education, 5% to apprenticeships and 24% into work. 15% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

In 2026, 199 pupils (17%) received SEN support and 18 (1.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is autism.

The nearest railway station is Eastbourne Rail Station, about 750 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Goffs (o/s 25), 310 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 614 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Gildredge House issued 80 suspensions, 6.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Gildredge House are Motcombe Infants' School (0.7 miles), St Thomas A Becket Catholic Primary School (0.8 miles), Pashley Down Infant School (1 mile) and Bourne Primary School (1 mile). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.