Chailey School

Chailey School is performing at a strong standard overall, demonstrating significant strengths in safeguarding, attendance, behaviour, inclusion, and leadership. The school prioritizes high-quality inclusive teaching, ensuring that all pupils, especially the disadvantaged and those with special educational needs, receive tailored support to access the curriculum. Staff relationships with families are strong, and there is a clear commitment to fostering a safe and supportive environment. Despite improvements, some areas such as achievement for disadvantaged pupils require continued focus to close the existing gaps in performance.

Strengths

• Strong safeguarding standards that ensure pupils feel safe.
• High expectations for behaviour resulting in impeccable conduct.
• Effective leadership that is ambitious and responsive to pupil needs.
• A well-implemented personal development programme.
• Inclusivity is a priority with tailored support for all pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent clarity in feedback for pupils on improving their work.
• Disadvantaged pupils not achieving as highly as they could.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Chailey School attended 93.2% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 18.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 5.8% of pupils at Chailey School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Chailey School had 16.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 15.1% of pupils at Chailey School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Chailey School received £7,699 and spent £7,507 for each of its 863 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £632,000 (£732 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Lewes · East Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is Chailey School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Chailey School is Expected standard, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was Chailey School last inspected by Ofsted?

Chailey School was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does Chailey School have?

Chailey School has 862 pupils on roll.

What age range does Chailey School cover?

Chailey School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Chailey School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 49.7, and 58% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Chailey School?

Chailey School is at Mill Lane, South Chailey, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 4PU.