Rye College
82%
Capacity
616
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Rye College
Rye College sits in the East Sussex local authority, a mixed 11-16 state secondary in the Rother borough. Among the 29 secondary schools in the county, it ranks 20th by Progress 8 score, placing it behind top-performing peers like St Richard's Catholic College, Beacon Academy, and Priory School. The school is currently rated Good by Ofsted, a significant improvement from its previous Inadequate rating in 2018. In its most recent graded inspection in January 2023, inspectors awarded Good across all categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. With 616 pupils on roll against a capacity of 750, the school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, receiving 237 total applications for 143 places, with 132 first-preference offers made. Over a third of pupils (34.7%) are eligible for free school meals, reflecting a higher-than-average level of disadvantage compared with many schools in the area.
Academically, the school's Progress 8 score of -0.85 is well below average nationally and significantly lower than the East Sussex LA average of -0.16. This means pupils at Rye College make less progress from Key Stage 2 to GCSE than their peers across the county. The Attainment 8 score sits at 36.3, and just 29% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, compared with 48% at grade 4 or above. Only 3% entered and achieved the English Baccalaureate at grade 5 or above, and the EBacc average point score is 3.02. Progress in individual subjects is consistently negative: English at -0.6, maths at -0.63, and the EBacc subjects at -1.24. The school ranks 5th out of 5 secondary schools in the Rother borough, and 432nd out of 461 in the South East region, placing it in the bottom 50 nationally by Progress 8.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, gymnasium, art studios, music rooms, and playing fields, with sports on offer including rowing, rugby, hockey, and tennis. There is no sixth form or nursery provision. SEND support covers seven areas including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, debate, drama, eco club, and coding. Rye College will suit families in the Rother area who value the recent Ofsted improvement and the breadth of extracurricular activities, but who are aware that academic outcomes are currently well below both local and national averages. The oversubscription suggests strong local demand, but parents should weigh this against the Progress 8 data when making their decision.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | The Grove, Rye, Rother, TN31 7NQ |
| Headteacher | Dominic Downes |
| Local Authority | East Sussex |
| Number of Pupils | 616 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 34.7% |
| School Capacity | 616 / 750 (82% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
17 Jan 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 6 Mar 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.85)
2955th of 3,141
Nationally
432nd of 461
In South East
5th of 5
In Rother
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less 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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/238%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 118 pupils).
- FE college46%
- Sixth form college31%
- School sixth form (stay)8%
- Not sustained7%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Employment3%
92% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed143
237
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
132 families put this school as their 1st choice (56% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
09:00 – 15:30
Breakfast club
08:00-09:00
Source: ryecollege.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British85.6%
- Mixed6.3%
- White (other)4.2%
- Asian0.8%
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.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Rye College
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
The Grove, Rye
Rother, TN31 7NQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
