The Ropemakers' Academy, Hailsham
The Ropemakers' Academy is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 16 in Hailsham, part of The Beckmead Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Ropemakers' Academy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Ropemakers' Academy are Hazel Court School (4 miles, Outstanding); and The Lindfield School (4.5 miles, Outstanding).
The trust
The Ropemakers' Academy is one of 12 schools run by The Beckmead Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 9 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 33% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 33% to a further education college.
Who goes there
61.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0.9% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (91%) and Mixed (7%).
Almost every pupil at The Ropemakers' Academy has an education, health and care plan (115 of 115 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of The Ropemakers' Academy.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hailsham Community College (opposite), 240 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 161 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Ropemakers' Academy issued 78 suspensions, 70.3 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
61.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from The Ropemakers' Academy
Policies, Funding & Ofsted Reports
29 Sep 2026
Safeguarding
27 Sep 2026
Term Dates
21 Jul 2026
Governance
25 Mar 2026
Curriculum
28 Jan 2026
Admissions
28 Jan 2026
From The Ropemakers' Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with The Ropemakers' Academy
Before and after school care
The Ropemakers' Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in East Sussex
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Ropemakers' Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Ropemakers' Academy is in East Sussex; for families living there:
Apply to East Sussex for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 19
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 12 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in East Sussex is 8 (the median across 221 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
144%
Over capacity
115 pupils
80 places
35 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Hailsham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hailsham
Across East Sussex council
Places available
5,496
Applications
4,990
Got 1st preference
86.3%
Got preferred school
95.9%
All secondary applications across East Sussex council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
115
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
115
Total Pupils
78
Boys
37
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
8.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,114
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
34.4%
Overall absence
63.6%
Persistent absence
118
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about The Ropemakers' Academy
What are GCSE results like at The Ropemakers' Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at The Ropemakers' Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 1. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is The Ropemakers' Academy's Ofsted rating?
The Ropemakers' Academy was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2023.
What is the catchment area for The Ropemakers' Academy?
No fixed boundary. When The Ropemakers' Academy is oversubscribed, East Sussex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Ropemakers' Academy?
The Ropemakers' Academy has around 115 pupils on roll. 62% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Ropemakers' Academy?
34.4% of sessions were missed at The Ropemakers' Academy in 2024/25. 63.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Ropemakers' Academy?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming The Ropemakers' Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does The Ropemakers' Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
The Ropemakers' Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near The Ropemakers' Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 12 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in East Sussex is 8 (the median across 221 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Ropemakers' Academy?
The Ropemakers' Academy is at Reef Way, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 1FB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)