Peacehaven Community School
101%
Capacity
903
Pupils
2.2x
Demand
About Peacehaven Community School
Peacehaven Community School’s headline Progress 8 score of 0.21 sits well above the East Sussex local authority average of -0.16 for secondary schools, meaning pupils here make stronger academic progress than their peers across the county. That gap is significant — roughly a third of a grade more per subject. The school ranks 9th out of 29 secondaries in the authority, placing it comfortably in the top third locally. In the South East region it sits at 163rd out of 461 schools, and nationally it lands in the 33rd percentile. While not among the very top performers in Lewes — St Richard’s Catholic College leads with a score of 0.65 — Peacehaven’s results are clearly above the norm for the area, and the school holds a solid Good rating from Ofsted across all categories, including behaviour, leadership, and personal development.
Looking closer at the exam data, the school’s Attainment 8 score sits at 40.1, and just over half of pupils (53.6%) achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score is 3.45, though only 14.5% of students entered the full EBacc suite — a relatively low take-up. Progress in maths (0.22) and the EBacc subjects (0.37) is notably stronger than in English (0.02), which is essentially flat. The Progress 8 banding is rated as Average, and the confidence interval (0 to 0.42) suggests the true score could be higher still. Compared with its previous inspection in 2018, the school has maintained its Good rating, with all inspected areas — quality of education, behaviour, personal development, and leadership — all judged Good in the most recent 2023 inspection.
The school is oversubscribed: for 173 places in 2025/26, it received 386 applications, with 229 putting it as first preference and 170 of those receiving offers — an oversubscription ratio of 2.23. Facilities include science labs, music rooms, a sports hall, astro turf, and a chapel, plus a Sixth Form Centre despite the school only covering ages 11-16. Sports on offer range from football and rugby to gymnastics and tennis, and clubs include coding, debate, choir, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and gardening. SEND provision is broad, covering autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. With 22.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals — above the national average — this is a genuinely comprehensive school that serves a diverse community and delivers academic results that outstrip the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Greenwich Way, Peacehaven, Lewes, BN10 8RB |
| Headteacher | Rachel Henocq |
| Local Authority | East Sussex |
| Number of Pupils | 903 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 22.5% |
| School Capacity | 903 / 890 (101% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
3 Oct 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 12 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.21)
1045th of 3,141
Nationally
163rd of 461
In South East
5th of 6
In Lewes
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed173
386
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
229 families put this school as their 1st choice (59% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British86.5%
- Mixed5.1%
- White (other)4.0%
- Asian1.1%
- Black0.1%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
4
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
3
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Peacehaven Community School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Greenwich Way, Peacehaven
Lewes, BN10 8RB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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