Brighton and Hove
Varndean School
GCSE results 2026: every Brighton and Hove school ranked · how England did
Dependable results for a comprehensive intake; the journey is the main thing to weigh.
What the data says
Published data, read plainly. It tells you what to check next; it does not guarantee a place or replace your local authority’s admissions guidance.
Attainment 8 of 54.7 is above the national average of around 46.
- 54.7
- Attainment 8
- 68%
- 5+ Eng & Maths
- 2025/2026
- Academic year
Pupils made above-average progress compared with similar pupils nationally. The confidence interval is entirely above zero, which is strong evidence of added value.
- +0.42
- Progress 8
- [0.26, 0.59]
- Confidence interval
Admissions realism depends on your home postcode and the school's published allocation data. Enter your postcode on this page to get a more specific assessment, and always verify the latest policy on the school's official admissions page.
What to do next
- Verify the school's official admissions policy
- Book an open day or school visit
- Add this school to your shortlist and compare with backup options
Starting school in September 2027
- Secondary (Year 7): apply by 31 October 2026; offers on 1 March 2027.
National dates for England. You apply through the council where you live, even for a school in another council.
Admissions and catchment
Year 7 entry · Brighton and Hove council allocation figures, 2026–2026
Pupils on roll
School census count against building capacity
99% full. Source: Get Information about Schools, 26 September 2026. A full school can still have places in the entry year.
Sources — check them yourself
- 2026 (national offer day): Brighton and Hove council allocation figures (web page)
- Official admissions page: Brighton and Hove. Use its address checker or booklet to confirm your own position.
Figures collected from council publications on 27 September 2026 and shown as printed, converted to km. Years the council did not publish are left blank. Past allocations never guarantee a place.
Applications and offers
National offer day figures that councils report to the Department for Education. These are counts only: they do not show how far away the last child offered a place lived.
Year 7 entry
| Year of entry | Places offered | Put it first | First choices offered | Applications (any preference) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 279 | 350 | 254 (73%) | 1,076 |
| September 2025 | 285 | 411 | 269 (65%) | 977 |
| September 2024 | 278 | 435 | 272 (63%) | 1,031 |
| September 2023 | 291 | 401 | 284 (71%) | 1,045 |
| September 2022 | 303 | 436 | 296 (68%) | 1,073 |
Source: Department for Education: Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, school-level data, published 18 June 2026. “–” means the figure was not published. The council’s own allocation figures are the official record: check Brighton and Hove’s admissions page for cut-off distances, the admission rules and this year’s dates.
Performance over time
Attainment 8 over time
Progress 8 over time(not available 2024/25 or 2025/26)
Historical results
| Year | Pupils | Att8 | P8 | 5+ E&M | 7+ E&M | EBacc % | EBacc APS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/2026 (provisional) | 293 | 54.7 | — | 67.9% | 20.8% | — | — |
| 2024/2025 | 299 | 48.8 | — | 55.9% | — | 67.6% | 4.5 |
| 2023/2024 | 293 | 53.5 | +0.42 | 65.5% | — | 65.5% | 5.0 |
| 2022/2023 | 293 | 54.5 | +0.36 | 67.9% | — | 59.4% | 5.0 |
| 2021/2022 | 264 | 57.3 | +0.41 | — | — | 64.0% | 5.3 |
EBacc figures stop at 2024/2025: the DfE no longer publishes them from 2025/2026.
Nearby and similar schools
Other secondary schools in Brighton and Hove for local comparison.
School information
| URN | 114579 |
| Local authority | Brighton and Hove |
| Region | South East |
| Phase | Secondary |
| Type | Community school |
| Gender of entry | Mixed |
| Age range | 11-16 |
| Headteacher | Headteacher Shelley Baker |
| Trust | — |
| Admissions | Non-selective |
| Religious character | Does not apply |
| Postcode | BN1 6NP |
| Pupils | 1,497 |
| FSM eligible | 20.4% |
Contact and identifiers
Balfour Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 6NP
http://www.varndean.co.uk1273561281| DfE number | 4012 |
| UKPRN | 10015965 |
| Opened | — |
| GIAS updated | 29 Jan 2026 |
Data sources and freshness
| Official record updated | 29 Jan 2026 |
| Latest KS4 year | 2025/2026 |
| Latest KS2 year | — |
| Ofsted published | 15 Nov 2022 |
Latest Ofsted inspection
| Quality of education | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
| Inspection type | S5 Inspection |
| Category of concern | — |
| Inspection date | 5 Oct 2022 |
| Publication date | 15 Nov 2022 |