High Cliff Academy
Primary · Academy sponsor led · Ages 4–11 · Newhaven, East Sussex
Last distance offered · Reception 2026
Every applicant was offered a place
From East Sussex County Council · offers on 16 April 2026
Reception last distance offered, 2018–2026 (miles)
All: every applicant was offered a place.
High Cliff Academy is a primary school in Newhaven, East Sussex for ages 4–11 (academy sponsor led). East Sussex has published a last distance offered for this school for Reception 2017 to 2026 entry.
High Cliff Academy catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Reception 2026 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Reception 2025 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Reception 2024 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Reception 2023 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Reception 2022 | 0.32 mi |
| Reception 2021 | 0.49 mi |
| Reception 2020 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Reception 2018 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Reception 2017 | Every applicant was offered a place |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- There are 16.5 pupils per teacher, against a middle figure of 23.4 across the 8 nearest primary schools in East Sussex.
- Every Reception 2026 applicant was offered a place; places ran out in 2 of the 8 earlier years, with the biggest swing from 2021 to 2022.
- Reception 2026 drew 11 first-choice applications for 22 offers: 0.5 first choices per offer, the 2nd lowest of 134 East Sussex primary schools.
- In 2024/25, 76% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 62%), but 0% reached the higher standard (England 8%).
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other East Sussex schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- Southdown Road, Newhaven, BN9 9FD
- Type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase
- Primary
- Ages
- 4–11
- Council
- East Sussex
- Pupils on roll
- 154 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 37% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 16.5
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
No Ofsted grade Inspected 9 June 2026
Strengths
- “Pupils love their school's unique setting at the aptly named High Cliff Academy.”
- “Both behaviour and attendance have improved since the last inspection.”
- “Pupils feel safe and well cared for.”
To improve
- “However, in recent years, fewer pupils have reached the higher standard in writing at the end of key stage 2.”
- “However, pupils' handwriting is not consistently well developed.”
- “Furthermore, expectations for presentation are not always applied uniformly.”
Safeguarding: met
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 16 July 2026 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| Key stage 2 · reading, writing and maths, expected standard (2024/25) | 76% | 62% |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Reception entry: 11 first-preference applications, 22 offers in total, 11 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby primary schools
Straight-line distance, in East Sussex.
- Harbour Primary and Nursery School 0.4 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- Breakwater Academy 0.5 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- Denton Community Primary School and Nursery 1.4 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- Meridian Community Primary School and Nursery 2.0 mi Good Last distance published
- Peacehaven Heights Academy 2.1 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Telscombe Cliffs Academy 2.5 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Seaford Primary School 2.8 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Cradle Hill Community Primary School 3.1 mi School remains Good Last distance published