The Cavendish School

The Cavendish School is an all-through school for pupils aged 2 to 16 and is part of the Cavendish Education Trust. Inspectors found it to be performing exceptionally well across every area judged, with pupils benefiting from a calm, focused and highly ambitious environment. The school has high expectations, and pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, achieve very well. The curriculum is strong from early years through to Year 11, transition between phases is seamless, and teaching is consistently effective. Reading is prioritised, behaviour is excellent, and pupils’ personal development is exceptionally well provided for, including through a wide enrichment programme and careers education that begins in Reception. Leadership is strategic and reflective, staff feel valued, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. This was a graded inspection following a previous inspection where the school was judged good; under current arrangements, no overall effectiveness grade is given.

Strengths

• A culture of high expectations motivates pupils and supports exceptionally strong achievement.
• The school provides a calm, focused learning environment free from distractions.
• Disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND, learn particularly well.
• Values of respect, resilience and responsibility are visible throughout the school.
• The Cavendish Offer provides a vast, carefully planned enrichment programme for every pupil.
• The curriculum is highly ambitious and takes full advantage of the all-through model.
• Transition points between phases are seamless and pupils are very well prepared.
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge and deliver the curriculum consistently well.
• Assessment is used effectively to tailor lessons and fill gaps in learning.
• Reading is a priority, with a systematic approach and prompt support for pupils who fall behind.
• Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are excellent.
• Personal development is exemplary, including well-planned PSHE and frequent debate opportunities.
• Careers education is exceptionally strong and begins in Reception.
• Leadership is highly strategic, reflective and focused on clear priorities.
• Staff are proud to belong to the school and feel valued through professional development.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

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 The Cavendish School attended 93.6% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 13.4% 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, 2.8% of pupils at The Cavendish 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 The Cavendish School had 19.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.1% 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, 11.3% of pupils at The Cavendish School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.2% 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 The Cavendish School received £7,041 and spent £6,947 for each of its 1,347 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,880,000 (£1,396 per pupil).

Across all 3 schools of Cavendish Education Trust, income was £6,672 and spending £6,649 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

The Cavendish School is part of Cavendish Education Trust, which runs 3 schools. The nearest others:

• Stafford Junior School Eastbourne
• Roselands Infants' School Eastbourne

What is The Cavendish School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Cavendish School is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was The Cavendish School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Cavendish School was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does The Cavendish School have?

The Cavendish School has 1,399 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Cavendish School cover?

The Cavendish School for pupils aged 2 to 16.

What are The Cavendish School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.2, and 51% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are The Cavendish School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 82% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Cavendish School?

The Cavendish School is at Eldon Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 1UE.