Varndean School Catchment Area
Varndean School is a community secondary school in Brighton, Brighton and Hove , serving pupils aged 11-16, with 1497 pupils, and a capacity of 1500 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
11-16
Age range
1,497
Pupils
1,500
Capacity
100%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2022
Varndean School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Varndean School?
The catchment area for Varndean School is the geographic zone Brighton and Hove uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Brighton and Hove publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Secondary school places at Varndean School are allocated by Brighton and Hove using ranked oversubscription criteria. Catchment area residence is typically among the highest priorities after looked-after children and siblings, and the boundary is reviewed each year.
Get an alert if Varndean School goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Brighton and Hove before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Brighton and Hove catchment area documents →Varndean School: at or above its 1500 place limit
Varndean School has a published admission number of 1500 places. 1497 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 100%. The school is at or above its published limit of 1500 places. Brighton and Hove allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. The last-distance figure is likely to remain tight if demand holds at this level.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 20.4% of pupils at Varndean School are eligible for free school meals, broadly in line with the national average. This reflects a mixed catchment population across Brighton and Hove.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Brighton and Hove publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Find Brighton and Hove school admissions →
Varndean School: School Information
- Full address
- Balfour Road, Brighton, BN1 6NP
- Local authority
- Brighton and Hove
- School type
- Community school
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-16 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 20.4% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 114579
Other Secondary Schools in Brighton
If Varndean School is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Brighton are the next closest alternatives.
Dorothy Stringer School Catchment Area
Community school · BN1 6PZ
Longhill High School Catchment Area
Community school · BN2 7FR
Patcham High School Catchment Area
Community school · BN1 8PB
Brighton Aldridge Community Academy Catchment Area
Academy sponsor led · BN1 9PW
Portslade Aldridge Community Academy Catchment Area
Academy sponsor led · BN41 2WS
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to Varndean School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: Varndean School
What is the catchment area for Varndean School? ▾
The catchment area for Varndean School is the geographic zone Brighton and Hove uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Brighton and Hove publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Varndean School oversubscribed? ▾
Varndean School is operating close to its capacity of 1500 places (100% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for Varndean School? ▾
Admission to Varndean School is managed by Brighton and Hove. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does Varndean School cover? ▾
Varndean School is a secondary school in Brighton, Brighton and Hove, serving pupils aged 11-16. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Varndean School? ▾
Varndean School was rated Good by Ofsted in 2022. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.