Chailey School
| Type | Secondary / Community school |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Mill Lane South Chailey Lewes East Sussex BN8 4PU |
| Phone | 01273890407 |
| Reference Number | 114594 |
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.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 855 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 52.4%
Girls: 47.6% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 12.8% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 2.5% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 24.9 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 96 | 77 | 173 |
| 8 | 89 | 84 | 173 |
| 9 | 79 | 93 | 172 |
| 10 | 89 | 80 | 169 |
| 11 | 95 | 73 | 168 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 68.5% |
| Unclassified | 23.3% |
| White, Other | 3.6% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.8% |
| White & Asian | 0.7% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.7% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.6% |
| African | 0.4% |
| Irish | 0.4% |
| Indian | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Expected standard |
| > Leadership & Governance | Strong standard |
| > Personal Development & Wellbeing | Strong standard |
| > Achievement | Expected standard |
| > Attendance & Behaviour | Strong standard |
| > Curriculum & Teaching | Expected standard |
| > Inclusion | Strong standard |
| Last Report Date | 10 Feb 2026 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 10 Feb 2026 | School inspection |
| 19 Jan 2022 | School inspection |
| 10 Jan 2017 | Short inspection |
| 08 Feb 2012 | Full inspection |
| 30 Jun 2010 | Interim assessment |
| 02 Feb 2009 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 10 Oct 2006 | Full inspection |
| 08 May 2001 | Full inspection |
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.
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) |
|---|---|---|
| 49.3 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 52.4% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 66.7% |
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 | 188 | 23 |
| Third Preference | 102 | 1 |
| From another Local Authority | 143 | 38 |
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 |
|
Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School
Chailey St Peter's Ce Primary School, East Grinstead Road, North Chailey, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 4DB |
1.43 miles |
|
Plumpton Primary School
Southdowns, Plumpton Green, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 3EB |
1.49 miles |
|
Barcombe Church of England Primary School
Barcombe Cross, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 5DN |
2.18 miles |
|
Hamsey Community Primary School
Cooksbridge, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 4SJ |
2.54 miles |
|
Wivelsfield Primary School
South Road, Wivelsfield Green, East Sussex, RH17 7QN |
2.65 miles |
|
Newick Church of England Primary School
63 Allington Road, Newick, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 4NB |
2.75 miles |
|
St Augustine's CofE Primary School
Vicarage Lane, Scaynes Hill, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 7PB |
3.92 miles |
|
Ditchling St Margaret's Church of England Primary School
Lewes Road, Ditchling, East Sussex, BN6 8TU |
3.93 miles |
|
Birchwood Grove Community Primary School, Burgess Hill
Birchwood Grove Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 0DP |
4.13 miles |
|
Wallands Community Primary and Nursery School
Gundreda Road, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1PU |
4.28 miles |
|
Oak Tree Primary School
Junction Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 0PZ |
4.29 miles |
|
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School
Church Lane, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2HS |
4.45 miles |
|
Northlands Wood Primary Academy
Beech Hill, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 3RX |
4.48 miles |
|
Fletching Church of England Primary School
Church Street, Fletching, Uckfield, East Sussex, TN22 3SP |
4.55 miles |
|
London Meed Community Primary School
Chanctonbury Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9YQ |
4.68 miles |
|
St Wilfrid's CofE Primary School
Eastern Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 3NL |
4.81 miles |
|
Great Walstead School
East Mascalls Lane, Haywards Heath, RH16 2QL |
4.83 miles |
|
St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School
School Close, Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9RJ |
4.92 miles |
|
Sheddingdean Community Primary School
Petworth Drive, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 8JT |
4.93 miles |
|
The Windmills Junior School
Dale Avenue, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 8LS |
4.97 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Chailey Heritage School
Haywards Heath Road, North Chailey, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 4EF |
2.27 miles |
|
Plumpton College
Ditchling Road, Plumpton, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 3AE |
2.98 miles |
|
Central Education Ltd
Yew Tree Farm, Nash Lane, Scaynes Hill, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 7NJ |
3.95 miles |
|
Burgess Hill Girls
Keymer Road, Burgess Hill, RH15 0EG |
4.36 miles |
|
Woodlands Meed
Chanctonbury Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9EY |
4.71 miles |
|
The Burgess Hill Academy
Station Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9EA |
4.72 miles |
|
Lewes Old Grammar School
|
4.82 miles |
|
Hambrook School
Marle Place, Leylands Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 8HY |
4.86 miles |