School profile

Beacon Academy

Secondary · Academy converter · Crowborough, TN6 2AS

Outstanding

Map showing Beacon Academy

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

1,066 of 3,312

Better than 67% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

1,150 of 2,536

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Ofsted inspection and rating

Beacon Academy rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 16 Apr 2024

Ofsted rating
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Sixth form provision
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,642 of 1,550 places
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Keith Slattery
TrustMARK EDUCATION TRUST
Local authorityEast Sussex
Opened01 Apr 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137982.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects; Progress 8 compares pupils' progress with pupils who had similar key stage 2 results.

MeasureThis schoolEast SussexEngland
Attainment 8 score49.443.746.2
Grade 4 or above in English and maths78.7%63.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and maths57.1%44.1%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and maths13%10.2%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths72%58.6%60.2%
Progress 8 scoreNot applicable--
Pupils at the end of key stage 4254--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolEast SussexEngland
Average points per A-level entry34.4732.6835
Average A-level gradeC+--
Average points, best three A-levels34.0331.4835.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better17.7%9.8%17.5%
A-level progress score-0.06--
A-level progressAverage--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study161--
Average applied general gradeMerit+--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26
MeasureThis school
Pupils1,642
Girls827
Boys815
Eligible for free school meals12.6%
First language not English4.9%
SEN support191
EHC plan37
Average class size23.5

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Pupils ethnicity

White British
84.7%
Other White
5.5%
White and Asian
1.7%
Other ethnic group
1.3%
Other mixed
1.2%
African
1.1%
Indian
1%
White and Black Caribbean
0.8%
White and Black African
0.7%
Other Asian
0.7%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed. Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means missing 50% or more.

MeasureThis schoolEast SussexEngland
Overall absence9%8.9%8%
Persistent absence21.3%23.6%21.6%
Severe absence4.7%4.3%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)255
Applications (Year 7)398
First preference applications (Year 7)238
First preference offers (Year 7)226
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)39

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Capacity

2024/25
MeasureThis school
School places2,050
Pupils on roll1,651
Unfilled places19.5%
Sixth form places500
Sixth form pupils on roll310

Source: DfE, School capacity, Academic year 2024/25, published 19 Mar 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26
MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher17.6
Pupils per adult12.4
Teachers (FTE)93.17
Teaching assistants (FTE)19.85
Support staff (FTE)70.89
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2589.8
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2577.4
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/255
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/257.4

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25
MeasureThis school
Suspension rate14.5%
Pupils with one or more suspensions3.9%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destination95.4%
Staying in education87.6%
School sixth form51.4%
Further education35.5%
Employment5%
Apprenticeship2.7%
Not sustained1.9%
Sixth form college0.4%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destination89.8%
Higher education50%
Employment33.9%
Not sustained6.8%
Apprenticeship3.4%
Further education2.5%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Beacon Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimarySir Henry Fermor Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.2 miPrimarySt Marys Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryAshdown Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.1 miPrimaryJarvis Brook Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.3 miPrimarySt John's Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Beacon Academy

What is Beacon Academy's Ofsted rating?

Beacon Academy is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, last inspected on 16 Apr 2024.

How does Beacon Academy rank in England?

Beacon Academy ranks 1,066 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 67% of schools) and 1,150 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

How many pupils attend Beacon Academy?

Beacon Academy has 1,642 pupils aged 11 to 18, with capacity for 1,550.

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.