Varndean SchoolCardinal Newman Catholic School
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side.
Summary of the comparison
Varndean School and Cardinal Newman Catholic School are secondary schools.
Varndean School scores 66 out of 100 (grade C, average) and Cardinal Newman Catholic School scores 71 out of 100 (grade B, strong). Cardinal Newman Catholic School is ahead on our composite score.
Varndean School was judged Good and Cardinal Newman Catholic School was judged exceptional.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 48.8 for Varndean School and 50.4 for Cardinal Newman Catholic School.
GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at Varndean School (57.3 in 2021-22, 48.8 in 2024-25) and has fallen at Cardinal Newman Catholic School (56.1 in 2021-22, 50.4 in 2024-25).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | BrightonVarndean School | HoveCardinal Newman Catholic School | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C66/100 | B71/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 3rd of 10 in Brighton and Hove | 2nd of 10 in Brighton and Hove Stronger figure | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: OutstandingStronger figure | |
| School type | Community school | Voluntary aided school | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-16 | 11-18 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,497 | 2,625 | |
| Capacity | 1,500 | 2,600 | |
| Location | Brighton, BN1 6NP | Hove, BN3 6ND | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 48.8 | 50.4 Stronger figure | 46.0 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 55.9% Stronger figure | 47.9% | 45.4% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 72.9% Stronger figure | 71.5% | 64.8% |
| Entering EBacc | 67.6% Stronger figure | 34.0% | 40.5% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.54 Stronger figure | 4.46 | 4.09 |
| Cohort | 299 | 365 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | Not reported | 250 | |
| A-level average points | Not reported | 37.9 | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | Not reported | B- | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | Not reported | 38.3 | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | Not reported | 27.1% | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,497 | 2,625 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 20.5% | 21.1% | |
| English as an additional language | 9.4% | 22.7% | |
| SEN support | 24.8% | 16.1% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 6.2% | 2.2% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 9.2% Stronger figure | 9.3% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 21.9% Stronger figure | 24.7% | 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
Cardinal Newman Catholic School
Full profiles: Varndean School · Cardinal Newman Catholic School