Classpot

High Cliff Academy

Lewes, BN9 9FDPrimaryAges 4–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Nov 2023
KS2 Results
70%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
0.8×
Not oversubscribed
16 1st-choice / 21 places
Ranking
#4,320
of 13,686 nationally

About High Cliff Academy

High Cliff Academy is a mixed state primary school in Lewes, within the East Sussex local authority, and it sits among a competitive field of local peers. The school ranks 7th out of 23 primary schools in Lewes, placing it in the top third locally. Its closest competitors in the area include St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School, Catsfield Church of England Primary School, and Blackboys Church of England Primary School, all of which hold higher ranking scores. Across the wider East Sussex authority, High Cliff Academy ranks 24th out of 144 primary schools, and it is one of only 10 schools in the county to hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating. Headteacher Carla Botting leads a relatively small school of 162 pupils, well under its capacity of 210, which gives it a more intimate feel than many larger primaries in the region.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range4 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressSouthdown Road, Newhaven, Lewes, BN9 9FD
HeadteacherCarla Botting
Local AuthorityEast Sussex
Number of Pupils162
Free School Meals (FSM)34.6%
School Capacity162 / 210 (77% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
See an example
One-off paymentNo subscriptionStripe checkout

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

22 Nov 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Early Years Provision
Outstanding

Latest monitoring visit (22 Nov 2023): School remains Outstanding (Concerns) - S5 Next

Source: Ofsted, 11 Jul 2018. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
Music RoomsDining HallArt StudiosSports HallGymnasiumOutdoor PlaygroundPlaying FieldsICT Suite

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

9

Sports

Cross CountryNetballGymnasticsAthleticsDanceCricket

Clubs & Activities

CodingFilm ClubGardening

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageVisionLearning DifficultyOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:15

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

Was this page helpful?

Frequently Asked Questions About High Cliff Academy

High Cliff Academy has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.