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Beacon Academy

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

North Beeches Road, Crowborough TN6 2AS · beacon-academy.org · 01892 603000

On the mapSearch near TN6 2AS

Overview

Ofsted
Outstanding
2019 framework · inspected Apr 2024
GCSEs, 2024/25
50.2
average Attainment 8 score. East Sussex 43.1, England 46
Demand for places
0.9
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,642
92 over 1,550 places · 106%
Local authority
East Sussex
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
13.9%
First language not English
4.9%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Mark Education Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 238 families put the school first and 255 places were offered; 95% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 301 (Places 282)301September 2023: 281 (Places 278)281September 2024: 271 (Places 263)271September 2025: 230 (Places 244)230September 2026: 238 (Places 255)238Places 255
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20262552380.995%
September 2025Sept 20252442300.997%
September 2024Sept 20242632711▲95%
September 2023Sept 20232782811▲94%
September 2022Sept 20222823011.1▲92%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 50.2, and 61.1% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across East Sussex it was 43.1, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C+ (34.5 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 53.8 (England 46.3)53.82017/18: 50.7 (England 46.5)50.72018/19: 54.0 (England 46.7)54.02021/22: 55.0 (England 48.8)55.02022/23: 51.7 (England 46.3)51.72023/24: 52.1 (England 45.9)52.12024/25: 50.2 (England 46.0)50.2England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▲50.246.0
▲61.1%45.4%
▲80.6%64.8%
▼27.8%40.5%
▲4.434.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form51.4+6.5
Sixth form college0.4−0.5
Further education35.5−6.2
Other education0.4−0.5
Apprenticeship2.7−0.5
Employment5+1.8
Not in a lasting destination1.9−1.3
Activity not captured2.7+0.8

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 28.0 (England 30.5)C-2016/17: 32.1 (England 31.1)C+2017/18: 32.4 (England 32.1)C+2018/19: 35.3 (England 32.9)B-2021/22: 37.6 (England 37.9)B-2022/23: 32.7 (England 34.2)C+2023/24: 35.2 (England 34.4)B-2024/25: 34.5 (England 35.0)C+England 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
122 studentsC+ (34.5)Average -0.06
122 studentsC+ (34.5)Average -0.07
60 studentsMerit+ (28.8)Average +0.08
32 studentsDist*- (42.3)Average -0.06
17.7%AAB or better
97.8%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/24109B- (35.2)-0.13
2022/2397C+ (32.7)—
2021/22101B- (37.6)—
2018/19102B- (35.3)-0.08
2017/18119C+ (32.4)+0.01
2016/17140C+ (32.1)+0.15
2015/16157C- (28)-0.18

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University50−8.5
Further education2.5+1.6
Apprenticeship3.4−1.3
Employment33.9+6.5
Not in a lasting destination6.8−0.7
Activity not captured3.4+2.5

Ofsted

Beacon Academy was judged Outstanding at its last graded inspection, on 16 April 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.

Overall
Outstanding
Inspected
16 Apr 2024
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationOutstanding
Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
Personal developmentOutstanding
Leadership and managementOutstanding
Sixth formOutstanding

Previously: Improving, ungraded inspection, Dec 2022

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Dec 2022Ungraded inspectionImproving
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • Mar 2017Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareOutstanding
    Leadership and managementOutstanding
    16 to 19 study programmesGood
    SafeguardingEffective
  • Apr 2013Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementOutstanding

What parents said

82% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (288 replies, to 7 April 2025).

Recommend
82%
Replies
288
18% · 7 Apr 2025
Child is happy at school▼82% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe▼83% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▼68% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations●83% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼84% agreeEngland 88%
Told what child will learn▼69% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing●85% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects●92% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▲93% agreeEngland 90%
Supports personal development▼72% agreeEngland 80%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼75% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 83% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▼47% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 38% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼54% agreeEngland 68%

based on 55 parents (19%) with SEND

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