Ratton School, Eastbourne

Ofsted's report card from its 19 May 2026 inspection grades Ratton School on 6 areas: 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils typically make positive progress through the curriculum."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders review and refine the support that they provide for pupils to help them to attend school regularly."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have created a well-ordered, ambitious curriculum."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders are passionate about supporting pupils who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing so that they can thrive academically and personally."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for development of the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Pupils benefit from a well-considered programme of personal development."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that assessment practices are embedded across the curriculum so that gaps in pupils' knowledge are addressed even more quickly"; "Leaders should ensure that teaching strategies are adapted and implemented consistently well across the school, so that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve all that they are capable of".

From the headteacher's welcome: "At Ratton School everything we do is centred on developing our young people to become confident, creative and caring students who achieve excellence in everything they do. Be it academically, or socially, our aim is to enable our students to grow and flourish and achieve all their potential."

On phones, the school says: "Home » Key Information » Mobile Phone Policy Mobile Phones at Ratton School From September 2026, students will be expected to lock their mobile phones away in a Yondr pouch for the duration of the school day."

In 2026, pupils at Ratton School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.5 in East Sussex and 47 across England.

45% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in East Sussex and 47% in England.

That is up from 43 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.1: pupils made about 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 34.2, against 49.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 14.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Geography, Combined Science and Statistics.

For September 2026 entry, 217 families put Ratton School as their first choice and 644 named it as one of their preferences, for 237 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 37 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Ratton School are The Cavendish School (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.2); The Eastbourne Academy (0.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 37.1); Gildredge House (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.9); and Willingdon Community School (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.2).

Ratton School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Ratton School is one of 2 schools run by South Downs Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 221 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 81% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 52% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

In 2026, 229 pupils (19.4%) received SEN support and 15 (1.3%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Hampden Park (Sussex) Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ratton School (adjacent), 160 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Ratton School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 178 crimes within a mile of the school, most often shoplifting, violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Ratton School issued 274 suspensions, 22.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Ratton School are Ocklynge Junior School (0.4 miles), Parkland Junior School (0.7 miles), Parkland Infant School (0.7 miles) and Motcombe Infants' School (0.9 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.