Schools by area › East Sussex › High Cliff Academy
High Cliff Academy
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Sponsored academy
Southdown Road, Newhaven BN9 9FD · highcliffacademy.org · 01273 041471
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Jun 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 76%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. East Sussex 61%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Reception, September 2026 entry · East Sussex Council
- Demand for places
- 0.5
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 154
- 73% of 210 places
- Local authority
- East Sussex
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 37%
- First language not English
- 10.4%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Step Academy Trust
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: East Sussex Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 11 families put the school first and 22 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 22 | 11 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 21 | 16 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 23 | 19 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 12 | 10 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 30 | 34 | 1.1▲ | 79% |
Results
In 2024/25, 76% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 0% the higher standard. Across East Sussex it was 61%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲76% | 62% | ||
| ▼0% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●104 | 106 | ||
| ●107 | 105 | ||
| Grammar and spelling | ●104 | 105 | |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected High Cliff Academy on 9 June 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
- Achievement: Expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Early years: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 9 Jun 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Early years | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Concerns, ungraded inspection, Nov 2023
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Nov 2023Ungraded inspectionConcerns
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Jun 2018Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Outstanding Safeguarding Effective
What parents said
61% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (44 replies, to 2 September 2024).
- Recommend
- 61%
- Replies
- 44
- 2 Sept 2024
based on the 86% who raised concerns
based on the 45% who had a child bullied
based on 17 parents (39%) with SEND