Varndean School
| Type | Secondary / Community school |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Balfour Road Brighton East Sussex BN1 6NP |
| Phone | 01273561281 |
| Reference Number | 114579 |
Varndean School has established a strong reputation for providing quality education, as evidenced by its overall effectiveness rating of good. The leadership is particularly commendable, with inspirational leaders driving rapid transformations and prioritizing support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. The school boasts an impressive range of extracurricular activities and fosters a positive, respectful atmosphere where pupils are well-prepared for their future endeavors. The current inspection represents the school's first routine evaluation since the pandemic, highlighting its resilience and commitment to continuous improvement.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1497 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 48.1%
Girls: 51.9% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 20.4% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 10.2% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 25.8 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 152 | 146 | 298 |
| 8 | 146 | 155 | 301 |
| 9 | 145 | 155 | 300 |
| 10 | 142 | 158 | 300 |
| 11 | 135 | 163 | 298 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 69.5% |
| White, Other | 8.4% |
| White & Asian | 4.6% |
| Mixed, Other | 2.9% |
| Unclassified | 2.7% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 2% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.9% |
| Chinese | 1.4% |
| Irish | 1.2% |
| Asian, Other | 1.2% |
| African | 0.9% |
| Indian | 0.7% |
| Caribbean | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| > Quality of education | Good |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Outstanding |
| > Personal Development | Outstanding |
| > Leadership & Management | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 05 Oct 2022 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 05 Oct 2022 | School inspection: |
| 05 Jul 2017 | Short inspection |
| 11 Jul 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 06 Oct 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 14 Oct 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 25 Apr 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 22 Oct 2001 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Inspirational leadership driving rapid improvements.
- Exceptional pastoral care making pupils feel known and supported.
- High levels of pupil involvement in extracurricular activities.
- Outstanding behavior and attitudes among pupils.
- Strong support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
- Effective teaching strategies that engage pupils and promote understanding.
Areas for Improvement
- Some isolated examples of less coherent subject planning.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 48.8 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 55.9% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 68.9% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 378 | 13 |
| Third Preference | 188 | 3 |
| From another Local Authority | 8 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
Balfour Primary School
Balfour Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 6NE |
0.18 miles |
|
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
Preston Road, Withdean, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 6UT |
0.63 miles |
|
Hertford Primary School
Lynchet Close, Brighton, BN1 7FP |
0.64 miles |
|
Downs Junior School
Rugby Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 6ED |
0.77 miles |
|
Downs Infant School
Ditchling Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 6JA |
0.87 miles |
|
Patcham Infant School
Highview Avenue South, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 8WW |
0.89 miles |
|
Patcham Junior School
Ladies Mile Road, Patcham, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 8TA |
0.97 miles |
|
Carden Nursery and Primary School
County Oak Avenue, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 8LU |
0.97 miles |
|
Stanford Infant School
Highcroft Villas, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 5PS |
1.06 miles |
|
Stanford Junior School
Stanford Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 5PR |
1.1 miles |
|
Coombe Road Primary School
Milner Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 4BP |
1.13 miles |
|
Windlesham School
190 Dyke Road, Brighton, E Sussex, BN1 5AA |
1.15 miles |
|
St Martin's CofE Primary School
Hartington Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 3LJ |
1.17 miles |
|
Lancing College Preparatory School At Hove
The Droveway, Hove, BN3 6LU |
1.17 miles |
|
Fairlight Primary School
St Leonard's Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 3AJ |
1.18 miles |
|
Moulsecoomb Primary School
The Highway, Moulsecoomb, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 4PA |
1.2 miles |
|
Westdene Primary School
Bankside, Westdene, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 5GN |
1.3 miles |
|
Cottesmore St Mary's Catholic Primary School
The Upper Drive, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 6NB |
1.37 miles |
|
Coldean Primary School
Kenwards, Coldean, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9EN |
1.46 miles |
|
Elm Grove Primary School
Elm Grove, Elm Grove Primary School, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 3ES |
1.46 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Dorothy Stringer School
Loder Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 6PZ |
0.29 miles |
|
Varndean College
Surrenden Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 6WQ |
0.29 miles |
|
Patcham High School
Ladies Mile Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 8PB |
0.88 miles |
|
Brighton Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College
205 Dyke Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 6EG |
1.28 miles |
|
Cardinal Newman Catholic School
The Upper Drive, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 6ND |
1.29 miles |
|
Kings Brighton
27-33 Ditchling Road, Brighton, BN1 4SB |
1.38 miles |
|
Drive Preparatory School
101 The Drive, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 6GE |
1.63 miles |
|
The Montessori Place
45 Cromwell Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 3ER |
1.67 miles |
|
Brighton Girls GDST
|
1.7 miles |
|
Brighton Aldridge Community Academy
Lewes Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9PW |
1.94 miles |
|
Blatchington Mill School
Nevill Avenue, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 7BW |
1.96 miles |
|
Hove Park School and Sixth Form Centre
Nevill Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 7BN |
1.96 miles |
|
Brighton College
Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 0AL |
2.16 miles |
|
Hamilton Lodge School and College for Deaf Children
Walpole Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 0LS |
2.16 miles |
|
King's School
Hangleton Way, Hove, BN3 8BN |
2.4 miles |
|
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14-18 New Church Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 4FH |
2.4 miles |
|
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2.42 miles |
|
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2.74 miles |
|
Roedean School
Roedean Way, Brighton, BN2 5RQ |
3.44 miles |
|
Oxford International College, Brighton
Ovingdean Hall, Ovingdean, Greenways, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 7BA |
3.52 miles |