High Cliff Academy

High Cliff Academy is a small primary school in Newhaven operating in temporary accommodation while its original site is prepared. It is part of Step Academy Trust and serves a community with above-average deprivation, a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals and a well-above-average share of pupils with SEN support. The June 2026 full inspection found the school performing at the expected standard across achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development, with safeguarding standards met. Behaviour and attendance have improved since the last inspection, and pupils feel safe and well cared for. The school’s main strengths are its broad, knowledge-rich curriculum, secure phonics and reading provision, and effective support for pupils with SEND. Outcomes at the end of key stage 2 are in line with national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils, and the Year 4 multiplication tables check has been significantly above national in recent years. Early years provision is well sequenced and language-rich, inclusion systems identify needs early, and leadership benefits from strong trust oversight and supportive staff development. Pupils’ personal development is a notable strength, with strong provision for mental health, online safety, British values and enrichment. The main areas for development are writing and attendance. Fewer pupils have reached the higher standard in writing at the end of key stage 2 in recent years, and handwriting and presentation expectations are not consistently applied. Attendance is rising but remains below national averages, and a small number of pupils are persistently late. Leaders should also sharpen their evaluation of the pupil premium strategy so they can better assess its impact on eligible pupils.

Strengths

• Outcomes at the end of key stage 2 are in line with national averages at the expected standard, including for disadvantaged pupils.
• Year 4 multiplication tables check results are significantly above national averages.
• Year 1 phonics screening check improved notably in 2025.
• Pupils recall learning well across most subjects, and all groups, including pupils with SEND, make progress.
• Behaviour has improved since the last inspection, with high expectations, clear routines and rare serious incidents.
• Attendance is rising, with effective targeted support and strong partnership work with families.
• The curriculum is broad, knowledge-rich, well sequenced and delivered consistently.
• Phonics is taught with fidelity and reading provision is secure, with support for pupils who need to catch up.
• Pupils with SEND generally benefit from suitable adaptations to access the same curriculum as their peers.
• Inclusion systems identify needs early and leaders work well with external agencies and trust colleagues.
• Early years provision is well planned, with high-quality interactions and a strong focus on language and vocabulary.
• Leaders create a clear, purposeful culture; staff feel supported and valued, and the trust provides effective oversight.
• Personal development is comprehensive, covering mental health, online safety, healthy relationships and fundamental British values.
• Pupils feel safe, enjoy learning and have meaningful opportunities for responsibility and enrichment.

Areas for Improvement

• Evaluation of the pupil premium strategy lacks precision, so leaders cannot fully assess the impact of funding on eligible pupils.
• Handwriting is not consistently well developed, and presentation expectations are not applied uniformly.
• Fewer pupils have reached the higher standard in writing at the end of key stage 2 in recent years.
• Overall attendance remains below national averages, and persistent absence is above national averages.
• A small number of pupils are persistently late, resulting in lost learning time.

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 High Cliff Academy attended 92.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 17.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 0.6% of pupils at High Cliff Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 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 High Cliff Academy had 16.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 18.8% of pupils at High Cliff Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 High Cliff Academy received £7,964 and spent £7,497 for each of its 163 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £60,000 (£366 per pupil).

Across all 18 schools of Step Academy Trust, income was £8,072 and spending £8,194 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 Lewes · East Sussex local authority: places and applications

High Cliff Academy is part of Step Academy Trust, which runs 19 schools. The nearest others:

• Breakwater Academy Newhaven
• Peacehaven Heights Academy Peacehaven
• Telscombe Cliffs Academy Peacehaven
• White House Academy Hailsham
• Hawkes Farm Academy Hailsham
• Thornton Grove Academy Hailsham
• Tudor Academy Croydon
• Applegarth Academy Croydon
• Heathfield Academy Croydon
• Beddington Park Academy Croydon

What is High Cliff Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for High Cliff Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in July 2026.

When was High Cliff Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

High Cliff Academy was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does High Cliff Academy have?

High Cliff Academy has 154 pupils on roll.

What age range does High Cliff Academy cover?

High Cliff Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are High Cliff Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is High Cliff Academy?

High Cliff Academy is at Southdown Road, Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 9FD.