Ratton School

Ratton School is a larger-than-average secondary school within South Downs Learning trust. This full inspection found the school meeting the expected standard across all evaluated areas, with safeguarding standards met. Pupils typically make positive progress, behave well and attend in line with national averages. They benefit from an ambitious curriculum, strong inclusion work and effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leadership and governance are effective, staff are well supported, and pupils' personal development, careers education and extracurricular opportunities are notable strengths. Key stage 4 examination results are generally close to national averages, and leaders act decisively where achievement falls short. Targeted support helps pupils catch up in reading, writing and mathematics, while individualised support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND is effective. Behaviour is calm, bullying and discrimination are not tolerated, and pupils feel safe and supported. The school also provides a well-considered personal development programme, strong careers guidance and a wide range of clubs and performing arts opportunities. The main areas for development concern consistency. Assessment practices need to be embedded across the curriculum so that gaps in pupils' knowledge are addressed more quickly. Teaching strategies and adaptations for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND also need to be applied consistently well across the school, as in a small number of instances less precise adaptation hampers some pupils from learning all that they could.

Strengths

• Pupils make positive progress through an ambitious, well-ordered curriculum.
• Pupils use technical vocabulary increasingly confidently, supported by effective oracy work.
• Key stage 4 examination results are close to national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
• Targeted support helps weaker readers, writers and mathematicians catch up quickly.
• Attendance is broadly in line with national averages, and leaders' work to improve attendance is increasingly effective.
• Pupils behave well, with calm routines and little low-level disruption.
• Discrimination and bullying are not tolerated and are dealt with swiftly.
• Leaders have effective systems to identify and support pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils.
• Pupil premium funding is used effectively so disadvantaged pupils progress well.
• Leadership and governance are strong, with appropriate support and challenge from governors and trustees.
• Staff are happy, well supported and value professional learning.
• Personal development is well considered, including ethics lessons, assemblies, trips and visits.
• Pupils take on leadership roles and contribute through the student council, house system and peer support.
• Careers provision is effective, with well-established work experience and clear next-step guidance.
• A wide range of clubs, sports and performing arts opportunities are available, and leaders ensure broad participation.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture and swift action on concerns.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment practices are not consistently embedded across the curriculum, slowing the addressing of gaps in pupils' knowledge.
• Teaching strategies and adaptations are not applied consistently well across the school for all pupils.
• Adaptations for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND are occasionally not precise enough, limiting learning in some lessons.

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 Ratton School attended 90.9% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 23.7% 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, 8.6% of pupils at Ratton 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 Ratton School had 15.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 4.5% 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, 19.4% of pupils at Ratton School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.3% 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 Ratton School received £8,116 and spent £8,049 for each of its 1,197 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £304,000 (£254 per pupil).

Across all 2 schools of South Downs Learning Trust, income was £7,284 and spending £7,089 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 Eastbourne · East Sussex local authority: places and applications

Ratton School is part of South Downs Learning Trust, which runs 2 schools. The nearest others:

• Ocklynge Junior School Eastbourne

What is Ratton School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Ratton School last inspected by Ofsted?

Ratton School was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does Ratton School have?

Ratton School has 1,183 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ratton School cover?

Ratton School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Ratton School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 45.5, and 45% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Ratton School?

Ratton School is at Park Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 2XR.