Ark Alexandra Academy
Academy sponsor led · 1,315 pupils
86% stayed in education · Attainment 8 42.6
Academy converter
Beacon Academy
- Pupils on roll
- 1,642of 1,550 places
- Free school meals
- 13.9%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 252
- Ofsted
- Outstanding, 16 April 2024Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Beacon Community College (URN 114585, until 1 April 2012).
What the data says
Of the 248 pupils who finished Year 11 at Beacon Academy in 2023, 54% stayed on in Beacon Academy’s own sixth form (East Sussex average 14%), 32% went to a further education college and 1% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 114 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 41% went to university (East Sussex 21%, England 37%), and 26% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Sociology is unusually popular at GCSE: 21% of the year group took it, against 4% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were above the national picture: Attainment 8 of 50.2 against 46.1 across England and 43.1 in East Sussex, with 61% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in East Sussex and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Beacon Academy | East Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 248 | 5,083 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 94% | 90% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 88% | 85% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 54% | 14% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 1% | 24% | 13% |
| — further education college | 32% | 44% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 2% | 3% |
| Employment | 5% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 4% | 7% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 2% | 3% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Beacon Academy | East Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 114 | 4,247 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 89% | 74% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 41% | 21% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 26% | 9% | 19% |
| Further education | 1% | 8% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 8% | 6% | 7% |
| Employment | 39% | 37% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 7% | 19% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Beacon Academy | East Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 50.2 | 43.1 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 61% | 42% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 81% | 63% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 28% | 37% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.43 | 3.80 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 16% | 26% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 40.2 | 30.3 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 52.0 | 47.6 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 6% | 7% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 251 | 100% | 89% | 25% | 20% | 84% |
| Mathematics | 251 | 100% | 88% | 18% | 22% | 84% |
| English Literature | 247 | 98% | 86% | 20% | 21% | 81% |
| Geography | 141 | 56% | 41% | 21% | 25% | 60% |
| Combined Science | 132 | 52% | 65% | 2% | 9% | 55% |
| Biology | 117 | 46% | 23% | 27% | 45% | 98% |
| Physics | 117 | 46% | 23% | 28% | 46% | 96% |
| Chemistry | 116 | 46% | 23% | 34% | 47% | 96% |
| History | 108 | 43% | 41% | 27% | 26% | 76% |
| Psychology | 57 | 23% | 3% | 16% | 22% | 58% |
| Sociology | 53 | 21% | 4% | 15% | 21% | 62% |
| Art and Design | 42 | 17% | 7% | 14% | 24% | 74% |
| Physical Education | 41 | 16% | 11% | 22% | 24% | 61% |
| German | 38 | 15% | 5% | 53% | 33% | 84% |
| Religious Studies | 35 | 14% | 31% | 43% | 32% | 89% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 33 | 13% | 8% | 18% | 21% | 91% |
| French | 30 | 12% | 18% | 50% | 29% | 90% |
| Computer Science | 28 | 11% | 13% | 7% | 30% | 43% |
| Design and Technology | 25 | 10% | 11% | 4% | 23% | 56% |
| Photography | 25 | 10% | 6% | 12% | 19% | 64% |
| Dance | 11 | 4% | 1% | 45% | 27% | 100% |
| Music | 9 | 4% | 5% | 44% | 33% | 67% |
| Russian | 6 | 2% | 0% | 100% | 87% | 100% |
| Drama | 4 | 2% | 7% | — | 27% | — |
| Arabic | 1 | 0% | 1% | — | 47% | — |
| Citizenship Studies | 1 | 0% | 3% | — | 19% | — |
| Statistics | 1 | 0% | 5% | — | 20% | — |
| Fine Art | 1 | 0% | 9% | — | 28% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports / Movement Science | 81 | 66% | — |
| Engineering Studies | 48 | 39% | — |
| Childcare Skills | 19 | 16% | — |
| Dance: General | 8 | 7% | — |
| Personal Health | 1 | 1% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Beacon Academy | East Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 316 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 122 | 1,578 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C+ | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 34.47 | 32.68 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C+ | C | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 18% | 10% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sociology | 39 | 32% | 13% |
| Mathematics | 36 | 30% | 31% |
| Psychology | 33 | 27% | 23% |
| Geography | 25 | 20% | 10% |
| Biology | 22 | 18% | 20% |
| Religious Studies | 19 | 16% | 4% |
| History | 14 | 11% | 13% |
| Physics | 14 | 11% | 12% |
| Chemistry | 10 | 8% | 17% |
| Politics | 9 | 7% | 6% |
| German | 8 | 7% | 0% |
| Computer Science | 8 | 7% | 5% |
| French | — | — | 1% |
| English Literature | — | — | 11% |
| Art and Design | — | — | 1% |
| Product Design | — | — | 2% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| Photography | — | — | 3% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 53 | 43% | — |
| Multimedia | OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3 | 19 | 16% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 12 | 10% | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3 | 12 | 10% | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3 | 11 | 9% | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in East Sussex
Bexhill High Academy
Academy converter · 1,441 pupils
84% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.7
Chailey School
Community school · 862 pupils
84% stayed in education · Attainment 8 49.3
Claverham Community College
Community school · 1,147 pupils
92% stayed in education · Attainment 8 50.3
Gildredge House
Free schools · 1,169 pupils
90% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.7
Hailsham Academy
Academy converter · 1,577 pupils
86% stayed in education
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.