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Seaford Head School

Lewes, BN25 4LXSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Nov 2023
Progress 8
+0.47
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.1×
Oversubscribed
256 1st-choice / 230 places
Ranking
🏆Top 25%
#538 of 3,141 nationally

About Seaford Head School

Seaford Head School is a large secondary in Lewes, operating comfortably below its capacity of 1,555 with 1,448 pupils on roll. The school serves a notably diverse intake for the area: 19.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure that sits well above the national average for state secondaries and signals a genuinely mixed catchment. Demand is strong, with 436 applications for 230 Year 7 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.9. Of those, 256 families put it as their first preference, and all 230 offers went to first-preference applicants, so securing a place requires being in the catchment or meeting the school's admission criteria. The school is non-denominational and co-educational, with an official sixth form that takes in around 75 students per cohort. It is one of only four schools in East Sussex rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and its most recent ungraded inspection in November 2023 confirmed it remains at that level.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressArundel Road, Seaford, Lewes, BN25 4LX
HeadteacherRobert Ellis
Local AuthorityEast Sussex
Number of Pupils1,448
Free School Meals (FSM)19.2%
School Capacity1,448 / 1,555 (93% full)
Sixth FormYes

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
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

16 Nov 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Latest monitoring visit (16 Nov 2023): School remains Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 17 Oct 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

10
TheatreLibraryGymnasiumDining HallScience LabsICT SuiteSports HallSwimming PoolChapelSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

21

Sports

HockeySwimmingGymnasticsMartial ArtsNetballCross CountryBasketballAthleticsRowingTennis

Clubs & Activities

CodingBook ClubGardeningDuke of EdinburghDramaChoirModel United NationsArt ClubYoung EnterpriseEco ClubDebate

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.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Seaford Head School

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