The Cavendish School, Eastbourne

Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 4 November 2026, an open evening on Wednesday 4 November 2026, an open day on Wednesday 11 November 2026 and an open day on Wednesday 9 December 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at The Cavendish School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.5 in East Sussex and 47 across England.

51% 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 47.3.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.47: 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 39.1, against 51 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.9 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, 182 families put The Cavendish School as their first choice and 630 named it as one of their preferences, for 118 places offered. That is 1.5 first choices for every place. 68 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Cavendish School are Ratton School (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.5); Gildredge House (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.9); The Eastbourne Academy (1.5 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 37.1); and The Turing School (2.3 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 31.7).

The Cavendish School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

The Cavendish School is one of 3 schools run by Cavendish Education Trust, an academy trust.

137 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Cavendish School (as of September 2025): 80% would recommend the school, 80% say their child is happy there and 60% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (86%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (60%).

Of the 176 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 56% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

9.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (76%) and Mixed (7%).

In 2026, 158 pupils (11.3%) received SEN support and 17 (1.2%) 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 Eastbourne Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cavendish School (outside), 60 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Cavendish School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 185 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour 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, The Cavendish School issued 107 suspensions, 7.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Cavendish School are Motcombe Infants' School (0.2 miles), Ocklynge Junior School (0.4 miles), Pashley Down Infant School (0.5 miles) and St Thomas A Becket Catholic Primary School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.