High Cliff Academy, Newhaven
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 months agoReport card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
High Cliff Academy excels at creating a calm, respectful environment where all pupils thrive, particularly those with additional needs or from disadvantaged backgrounds. The school has a strong commitment to communication, language development and wellbeing, ensuring children develop secure knowledge in areas that matter - from online safety to healthy relationships. Leaders and staff work closely with families, particularly on inclusion and attendance, and are recognised and valued by many parents for their constructive partnership approach.
Key Strengths
- Strong phonics teaching and reading provision with good support for pupils who need to catch up
- Clear focus on communication and language across a broad, knowledge-rich curriculum
- Effective behaviour management with significantly reduced serious incidents and a calm, respectful environment
- Excellent safeguarding culture where pupils feel safe and well cared for
- Well-designed personal development curriculum covering mental health, online safety, healthy relationships and British values
Areas for Improvement
- Handwriting is not consistently well developed across the school
- Fewer pupils reaching the higher standard in writing at key stage 2 in recent years
- Overall attendance remains below national averages
- A small number of pupils persistently arriving late, losing learning time
- Pupil premium strategy evaluation lacks precision, making it difficult to measure impact
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met with an open and positive culture where all legal requirements are fulfilled and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Pupil parliament, assemblies, Pride and Diversity weeks, cultural celebration activities, special themed events
High Cliff Academy is a school at the expected standard with a clear culture built on high expectations for pupils and staff. Leaders have established effective systems to support all pupils, including those with additional needs, and have successfully improved behaviour and attendance.
At a Glance
37.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 79%. Maths has improved from 70% to 83%. Writing has improved from 70% to 76%.
Class Sizes
23.3
Avg class size
22.7
Infant (KS1)
23.8
KS2
7
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Train Stations
Ferry Terminals
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
73%
Available places
154 pupils
210 capacity
56 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Newhaven
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Newhaven
Admissions Demand - East Sussex
Places available
5,643
Applications
4,708
Got 1st preference
91.2%
Got preferred school
98.0%
Primary admissions across East Sussex (2025/26)
Inspection History(3)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.17432%
Overall absence
17.28395%
Persistent absence
162
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
High Cliff Academy
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