The Cavendish School
Ofsted: Not judgedAcademy converter · All-through
Eastbourne · BN21 1UE · East Sussex
Ages 2–16
- Att850.7
- P80.5
- EM5+56%
- Absence6.5%
0.8 miles away
OpenAll-throughOfsted: Not judgedURN 139796
Gildredge House
Free schools · Eastbourne · BN20 8AB
Ages 4–16 · 1,169 pupils · East Sussex
Ofsted
Not judged
Attainment 8
48.0
Overall absence
6.6%
Admissions demand
0.99 · Balanced demand
Ofsted
Latest published inspection outcomes — not a ranking.
Headline
Not judged
Inspection date
2024-10-01
- Overall effectiveness
- Not judged
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding effective
- Yes
Performance
Official school-level results. Figures are not rankings — suppressed values are omitted.
Key stage 4 (2023/24)
Progress 8+0.16
−20+2
Attainment 848.0
English & maths grade 5+51%
English & maths grade 4+69%
EBacc entry37%
EBacc APS: 4.3
Key stage 2 (2023/24)
Expected standard (RWM)64%
Higher standard (RWM)5%
- Avg scaled score — reading
- 106.0
- Avg scaled score — maths
- 105.0
- Avg scaled score — GPS
- 103.0
Absence
Academic year 2023/24. Persistent absence means 10%+ of sessions missed. Lower figures are better.
Overall absence6.6%
Persistent absence (10%+)18.3%
Unauthorised1.6%
- Authorised absence
- 5.0%
- Severe absence (50%+)
- 1.6%
- Enrolments in measure
- 1,132
Absence trend
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
- Overall
- Persistent (10%+)
Admissions demand
Coordinated admissions for secondary entry (2024/25 cycle, national offer day). Demand ratio compares families who listed this school 1st with total offers made — not a catchment or distance guarantee.
Demand ratio
0.99 · Balanced demand
1st preferences
87
Places offered
88
1st-preference offers
64
- Total preferences (any rank)
- 351
- Preferred offers (top 3)
- 88
- Applications from outside LA
- 0
- Offers to outside-LA applicants
- 0
- Admissions policy (GIAS)
- Non-selective
Source: DfE primary and secondary school applications and offers. Figures reflect offers on national offer day; late applications, appeals and waiting lists are not included.
Size & intake
From the GIAS school census (15 Jan 2026).
Capacity fill95%
1,169 pupils · 1,232 places
- Pupils on roll
- 1,169
- Boys / girls
- 552 / 617
- School capacity
- 1,232
- Capacity fill
- 1,169 / 1,232 (95%)
- Free school meals
- 19%
- FSM pupils
- 222
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Gender
- Mixed
- School type
- Free schools
Age range
Ages 4–16
05111619
Provision
Official GIAS characteristics
0 / 6
- Nursery
- Sixth form
- Boarding
- Special school
- Independent
- Academy
School characteristics
- Governance
- Academy trust: GILDREDGE HOUSE FREE SCHOOL
- Academy trust
- GILDREDGE HOUSE FREE SCHOOL
- Sponsor
- East Sussex County Council
- Headteacher
- Mr Craig Bull
Location
- Address
- Compton Place Road
- Postcode
- BN20 8AB
- Town
- Eastbourne
- County
- East Sussex
- Local authority
- East Sussex
- District
- Eastbourne
- Constituency
- Eastbourne
- Urban/rural
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Local context
How this school sits among open establishments in its area, using official GIAS records. These are counts, not rankings.
Mixed free schools (all-through), Ages 4–16, in Eastbourne, East Sussex, 1,169 pupils on roll. Notable characteristics: non-selective admissions. Free school meals: 19%.
Nearby all-through schools
Open schools within about 3 miles, prioritising the same phase where possible. Distances are approximate from GIAS coordinates.
Other independent school
Eastbourne · BN21 4JX · East Sussex
Ages 12–19
- Att841.7
- EM5+0%
0.7 miles away
Motcombe Infants' School
Ofsted: School remains GoodCommunity school · Primary
Eastbourne · BN21 1SN · East Sussex
Ages 5–7
- Absence6.3%
- FSM21.0%
- Demand0.79
0.7 miles away
St Thomas A Becket Catholic Primary School
Ofsted: GoodAcademy converter · Primary
Eastbourne · BN22 8XT · East Sussex
Ages 4–11
- FSM9.5%
0.8 miles away
The South Downs School
Ofsted: Standards maintainedAcademy special converter
Eastbourne · BN20 8NU · East Sussex
Ages 4–11
- KS20%
- Absence11.2%
- FSM42.0%
0.9 miles away
Pashley Down Infant School
Ofsted: School remains GoodCommunity school · Primary
Eastbourne · BN20 8NX · East Sussex
Ages 4–7
- Absence5.0%
- FSM12.2%
- Demand0.87
1.0 miles away
Bourne Primary School
Ofsted: Requires improvementCommunity school · Primary
Eastbourne · BN22 8BD · East Sussex
Ages 3–11
- KS238%
- Absence8.1%
- FSM37.4%
- Demand0.97
1.0 miles away
New to reading school data? See Ofsted ratings explained and how to compare schools.
Contact
- Headteacher
- Mr Craig Bull
- Telephone
- 01323400650