Varndean SchoolBrighton Aldridge Community Academy
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Brighton.
Summary of the comparison
Varndean School and Brighton Aldridge Community Academy are secondary schools in Brighton.
Varndean School scores 67 out of 100 (grade C, average) and Brighton Aldridge Community Academy scores 44 out of 100 (grade D, below average). Varndean School is ahead on our composite score.
Varndean School was judged Good and Brighton Aldridge Community Academy was judged the expected standard.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 54.7 for Varndean School and 33.2 for Brighton Aldridge Community Academy.
GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at Varndean School (57.3 in 2021-22, 54.7 in 2025-26) and has fallen at Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (37.4 in 2021-22, 33.2 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | BrightonVarndean School | BrightonBrighton Aldridge Community Academy | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C67/100Stronger figure | D44/100 | |
| Local ranking | 3rd of 10 in Brighton and Hove Stronger figure | 9th of 10 in Brighton and Hove | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Community school | Academy sponsor led | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-16 | 11-19 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,487 | 808 | |
| Capacity | 1,500 | 1,150 | |
| Location | Brighton, BN1 6NP | Brighton, BN1 9PW | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 54.7 Stronger figure | 33.2 | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 67.9% Stronger figure | 23.8% | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 81.6% Stronger figure | 42.9% | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 293 | 147 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | Not reported | 9 | |
| A-level average points | Not reported | 18.8 | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | Not reported | D | |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,497 | 813 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 20.5% | 50.2% | |
| English as an additional language | 9.4% | 13.2% | |
| SEN support | 24.8% | 29.8% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 6.2% | 7.8% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 9.2% Stronger figure | 15.2% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 21.9% Stronger figure | 42.6% | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Varndean School
Brighton Aldridge Community Academy
Full profiles: Varndean School · Brighton Aldridge Community Academy