Classpot

Chailey School

Lewes, BN8 4PUSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Jan 2022
Progress 8
+0.36
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.1×
Oversubscribed
192 1st-choice / 178 places
Ranking
🏆Top 25%
#727 of 3,141 nationally

About Chailey School

Chailey School is clearly a popular choice among local families. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 482 applications for 178 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.71. Of those, 192 were first-preference applications, and 154 first-preference offers were made. While the school does not publish a formal parent satisfaction survey, the high demand suggests a strong reputation in the community. The school is a mixed, non-denominational secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form. It has capacity for 870 pupils and currently has 855 on roll, so it is running very close to full. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 12.8 per cent, which is in line with the national average for state secondaries.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressMill Lane, Lewes, Lewes, BN8 4PU
HeadteacherPaul Holt
Local AuthorityEast Sussex
Number of Pupils855
Free School Meals (FSM)12.8%
School Capacity855 / 870 (98% full)

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

20 Jan 2022
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Latest monitoring visit (20 Jan 2022): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 5 Mar 2012. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

10
GymnasiumSixth Form CentreAstro TurfArt StudiosDining HallTheatreLibraryICT SuiteScience LabsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

16

Sports

TennisSwimmingCross CountryMartial ArtsGymnasticsFootballRowingRugbyRoundersBadminton

Clubs & Activities

DebateNewspaperGardeningChoirBook ClubArt Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyMulti-SensoryOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:35 – 15:05

Source: chaileyschool.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Chailey School

Chailey School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.