Varndean School
Ofsted
Official inspection reports and grades
Inspected 5 October 2022
Results
Compared with the local authority and England
KS4 Results
Attainment and progress
Attainment 8 scores a pupil's best 8 GCSE results, out of about 90. Progress 8 compares those results with pupils who started secondary school at the same level: 0 is average.
| Measure | School | Brighton and Hove | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 score | 48.8 | 46.2 | 46.1 |
GCSE results
Grade 4 is a standard pass; grade 5 is a strong pass.
| Measure | School | Brighton and Hove | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 56% | 48% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 73% | 67% | 65% |
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths | 69% | 62% | 60% |
English Baccalaureate
The EBacc is English, maths, science, a language, and history or geography. It is a set of subjects rather than a qualification.
| Measure | School | Brighton and Hove | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entering the EBacc | 68% | 53% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.1 |
Based on 299 pupils at the end of key stage 4.
Catchment area
Pupils and staff
Pupils
- Pupils
- 1,487
- Capacity
- 1,500
- Girls / boys
- 50% / 50%
- Free school meals
- 23%
Staff
- Teachers (FTE)
- 87.6
- Teaching assistants (FTE)
- 19.4
- Leadership (FTE)
- 7.6
- Part-time teachers
- 23%
School workforce census, 2025/26.
Questions about Varndean School
What is Varndean School's Ofsted rating?
Varndean School was graded Good at its last Ofsted inspection, on 5 October 2022.
How do I apply for a place at Varndean School?
Apply through the council where you live by 31 October in your child's Year 6, for a place starting the following September. You apply to your home council even if Varndean School is in another council's area, and can usually list between 3 and 6 schools in order of preference. Offers are sent on 1 March, or the next working day.
Does living near Varndean School guarantee a place?
No. Distance only counts when Varndean School has more applicants than places. Then its admission criteria, set by the local authority, Brighton and Hove, decide who is offered a place first. Children in care or adopted from care come first by law. Most schools put brothers and sisters of current pupils next, then distance or a catchment area. How far away the last place went changes every year, depending on who applies.
How many pupils are at Varndean School?
Varndean School had 1,487 pupils aged 11 to 16 at the latest school census. Its official capacity is 1,500. It is a mixed school with no sixth form, so students move on at 16.
