Varndean SchoolLonghill High School

Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Brighton.

Summary of the comparison

Varndean School and Longhill High School are secondary schools in Brighton.

  • Varndean School scores 66 out of 100 (grade C, average) and Longhill High School scores 33 out of 100 (grade F, weak). Varndean School is ahead on our composite score.

  • Varndean School was judged Good and Longhill High School was judged Requires improvement.

  • On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 48.8 for Varndean School and 32.9 for Longhill High School.

  • GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at Varndean School (57.3 in 2021-22, 48.8 in 2024-25) and has fallen at Longhill High School (44.1 in 2021-22, 32.9 in 2024-25).

Side-by-side comparison

Varndean School versus Longhill High School compared on inspection, results, pupils and attendance.
Measure BrightonVarndean SchoolBrightonLonghill High SchoolEngland average
Overview
Our scoreC66/100Stronger figureF33/100
Local ranking3rd of 10 in Brighton and Hove Stronger figure10th of 10 in Brighton and Hove
InspectionOfsted: GoodStronger figureOfsted: Requires improvement
School typeCommunity school Community school
PhaseSecondary Secondary
Age range11-16 11-16
GenderMixed Mixed
Pupils on roll1,497 723
Capacity1,500 1,200
LocationBrighton, BN1 6NP Brighton, BN2 7FR
GCSE results
Attainment 848.8 Stronger figure32.9 46.0
Grade 5+ in English & maths55.9% Stronger figure22.2% 45.4%
Grade 4+ in English & maths72.9% Stronger figure40.1% 64.8%
Entering EBacc67.6% Stronger figure26.5% 40.5%
EBacc average point score4.54 Stronger figure2.83 4.09
Cohort299 162
Pupils
Pupils in the census1,497 723
Free school meals (ever 6)20.5% 44.3%
English as an additional language9.4% 7.5%
SEN support24.8% 25.0%
SEN with an EHC plan6.2% 3.5%
Attendance
Overall absence9.2% Stronger figure16.8% 6.2%
Persistent absence21.9% Stronger figure48.0% 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

Longhill High School

Full profiles: Varndean School · Longhill High School