Seaford Head School

Seaford Head School continues to demonstrate outstanding performance across all areas. The school fosters an inclusive environment where students feel proud to belong, supported by strong leadership and governance. With high participation in after-school clubs and activities, as well as a commendable transition for sixth-formers to prestigious universities, the institution sets high standards for academic and personal conduct. The effective safeguarding measures in place contribute to an exemplary learning atmosphere where pupils thrive both academically and socially.

Strengths

• High standards of work and conduct set by the school
• Inclusive environment catering for SEND and disadvantaged pupils
• Very high proportion of pupils progressing to education or training after 16
• Broad and ambitious curriculum enhancing student learning
• Meticulous subject planning based on latest research
• Strong focus on reading and developing writing skills
• Excellent pastoral care ensuring student safety and wellbeing
• Effective support systems for attendance monitoring

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 Seaford Head School attended 91.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 22.6% 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, 1.3% of pupils at Seaford Head 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 Seaford Head School had 16.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.3% 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, 6.2% of pupils at Seaford Head School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.3% 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 2024–25 Seaford Head School received £7,385 and spent £7,612 for each of its 1,448 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £436,000 (£301 per pupil).

Across all 2 schools of Seaford Learning Trust, income was £7,297 and spending £7,474 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

Seaford Head School is part of Seaford Learning Trust, which runs 2 schools. The nearest others:

• Chyngton School Seaford

What is Seaford Head School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Seaford Head School is Outstanding, from an inspection in January 2024.

When was Seaford Head School last inspected by Ofsted?

Seaford Head School was last inspected in January 2024.

How many pupils does Seaford Head School have?

Seaford Head School has 1,461 pupils on roll.

What age range does Seaford Head School cover?

Seaford Head School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Seaford Head School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.5, and 55% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Seaford Head School?

Seaford Head School is at Arundel Road, Seaford, East Sussex, BN25 4LX.