Chailey School
Mill Lane, Lewes, BN8 4PU
862 pupils · 99% of 870 capacity
- Phase
- Secondary
- Type
- Community school
- Ages
- 11–16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Does not apply
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Local authority
- East Sussex
- Free school meals
- 14.8%
Ofsted
Strong standard (2026) — Report card — the most common grade across the inspected areas
| Inclusion | Strong standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Strong standard |
| Personal development and wellbeing | Strong standard |
| Leadership and governance | Strong standard |
| Safeguarding | Met |
Inspected 10 February 2026, published 17 May 2026. Read the full Ofsted report
England has three coexisting inspection systems — how we translate them into one signal.
Exam results
| Measure | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| Attainment 8 score | 49.3 |
| Grade 5 or above in English & maths (strong pass) | 52.4% |
| Grade 4 or above in English & maths (standard pass) | 71.4% |
| Entering the English Baccalaureate | 71.4% |
Progress 8 is not published nationally for 2024/25 and 2025/26 while KS2 baselines are missing (no SATs in 2020/21). It returns from 2026/27.
“Not published (small cohort)” means the DfE suppressed the figure to protect small cohorts — it is not a zero.
Will my child get in?
Oversubscribed — 1.26 first-choice applications per place (Sept 2026 entry)
| Entry | Places | 1st preferences | Total preferences | Offers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2026 entry | 174 | 219 | 552 | 174 |
| Sept 2025 entry | 178 | 192 | 482 | 178 |
| Sept 2024 entry | 171 | 220 | 510 | 171 |
| Sept 2023 entry | 171 | 176 | 492 | 171 |
| Sept 2022 entry | 173 | 191 | 492 | 173 |
| Sept 2021 entry | 170 | 194 | 468 | 170 |
| Sept 2020 entry | 159 | 201 | 511 | 159 |
| Sept 2019 entry | 157 | 151 | 386 | 157 |
First-choice demand varies year to year, and the school’s admission criteria — not demand — decide who is offered a place. Use this as a rough signal, never a prediction.
Nearby alternatives
- The Burgess Hill Academy 7.6 km · Some aspects not as strong (2024)
- Downlands Community School 8.1 km · Good (2022) · previous system
- King's Academy Ringmer 8.2 km · Standards maintained (2024)
- Priory School 8.4 km · Good — confirmed 2023 · previous system
- Oathall Community College 8.8 km · Good — confirmed 2023 · previous system
- St Paul's Catholic College 9.5 km · Outstanding (2023) · previous system
Straight-line distance — not travel time, and not a catchment. Same phase, open schools only.
Data from DfE and Ofsted open data (OGL v3) — sources. School record updated 10 July 2026. Report incorrect data.