Best secondary schools in Brighton and Hove (2026)
Brighton and Hove has 10 ranked secondary schools with published results. The top-ranked is King's School, in the top 12% in England. The average Attainment 8 here in 2025 was 45.6, against 46.1 for England. 0 are in England's top 10%, and 0 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Brighton and Hove has no grammar schools.
| Rank | School | Attainment 8 (2023–2025 average) | Attainment 8 2025 | Trend | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 12% in England |
King's School Brighton and Hove · Church of England |
56.0 | 53.7 | 59% | Report card | |
2 Top 19% in England |
Varndean School Brighton and Hove |
52.3 | 48.8 | 56% | Good | |
3 Top 20% in England |
Dorothy Stringer School Brighton and Hove |
52.3 | 53.3 | 62% | Good | |
4 Top 24% in England |
Cardinal Newman Catholic School Brighton and Hove · Roman Catholic |
52.2 | 50.4 | 48% | Not judged | |
5 Top 24% in England |
Blatchington Mill School Brighton and Hove |
51.0 | 51.0 | 62% | No rating | |
6 Top 48% in England |
Patcham High School Brighton and Hove |
45.8 | 45.5 | 45% | No rating | |
7 Bottom 46% in England |
Portslade Aldridge Community Academy Brighton and Hove |
44.7 | 42.7 | 43% | Report card | |
8 Bottom 40% in England |
Hove Park School and Sixth Form Centre Brighton and Hove |
43.7 | 41.1 | 35% | Report card | |
9 Bottom 10% in England |
Brighton Aldridge Community Academy Brighton and Hove |
36.6 | 36.2 | 23% | Not judged | |
10 Bottom 6% in England |
Longhill High School Brighton and Hove |
34.9 | 32.9 | 22% | Requires improvement |
Other towns in East Sussex
Also see
Questions
What is the best secondary school in Brighton and Hove?
On exam results over the last three years, King's School is the top-ranked secondary school in Brighton and Hove, in the top 12% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.