OFSTED
1 October 2024
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Not judged
OEIF
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour & attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership & management
Good
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Free schools
Phase
All-through
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
East Sussex
Trust
GILDREDGE HOUSE FREE SCHOOL
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,169
1,169 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
617
52.8% of pupils
Male pupils
552
47.2% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
5.8 pts
below England
School
19.0%
Eastbourne
26.9%
South East
19.0%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
3.0 pts
below England
School
17.3%
Eastbourne
13.8%
South East
15.6%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
0.1 pts
below England
School
0.9%
Eastbourne
0.9%
South East
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
60.3%
705
Any other White background
9.2%
108
Any other Mixed background
8.4%
98
Indian
4.5%
53
African
3.3%
39
White and Asian
3.3%
38
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
18.6%
217 of
1,169 pupils
2.3 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
2.2 pts
above
England
6.0%
4.5 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
46.7
7.5 pts
above England
Latest published: 0.16 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
6.35%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
0.13 pts
higher than
England
School
6.35%
Eastbourne
7.59%
South East
6.30%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
14.98%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
0.84 pts
lower than
England
School
14.98%
Eastbourne
20.67%
South East
15.75%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
1.50%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
0.31 pts
lower than
England
School
1.50%
Eastbourne
2.41%
South East
1.93%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open all-through schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
94.9%
3.8 pts
above England
Gildredge House
94.9%
Eastbourne
91.1%
South East
93.0%
England
91.1%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.