King’s School, Hove Review 2026: High expectations, strong culture, and standout progress

King’s School, Hove’s GCSE profile is best understood through two signals, high progress from starting points and a strong rank position in England.

GCSE ranking context (FindMySchool)

Ranked 723rd in England and 1st in Hove for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school’s performance sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England.

Key GCSE measures

Attainment 8 is 60, and Progress 8 is +0.84, which indicates students, on average, make substantially more progress than students nationally with similar prior attainment.

EBacc entry and achievement

The percentage achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc is 29.1, and the average EBacc APS is 5.3. For families where languages and humanities breadth matters, it is sensible to explore how EBacc pathways are structured and encouraged, particularly as the March 2022 inspection narrative highlights leaders raising the profile of languages.

A-level performance data is not available and the school’s Sixth Form direction of travel is currently shaped by planned closure, so families should treat post-16 planning as a separate decision from the Key Stage 4 experience.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view GCSE measures side by side, including Progress 8 context, rather than relying on reputation alone.

The curriculum intent is framed around developing “wise students”, with wisdom defined to include knowledge, skills, and moral development. In practice, the school’s stated approach emphasises a coherent curriculum that builds progressively and demands high standards.

External evidence describes strong subject knowledge from staff and regular assessment used to identify gaps. It also points to unevenness between subjects, with specific improvement actions expected around computing delivery and the depth and sequencing of physical education. That detail matters because it indicates the quality assurance lens is subject-specific, not generic, and parents should ask how these areas have been strengthened since the most recent full inspection.

Support for disadvantaged students and students with special educational needs and disabilities is described as well planned, with teachers adapting lessons so pupils access the same curriculum as peers. For families weighing inclusion quality, the more meaningful question is not whether support exists, but how it is integrated into normal teaching and assessment routines.

For Years 11 to 16 transition, careers education is a clear strength. The March 2022 inspection evidence describes a well organised careers programme, enhanced by mentoring from business leaders and university visits for disadvantaged pupils, with students prepared for next steps including technical routes and apprenticeships.

The Sixth Form position needs careful attention. The school states it is not accepting applications for September 2026 entry, and that the governing body intends to close the Sixth Form from summer 2027 following trust-level ratification and a formal closure process including consultation. For current students, that means post-16 planning should be discussed early, and families should expect signposting to alternative local sixth forms and colleges as the closure timeline progresses.

If your priority is continuity from Year 11 through Year 13 within the same institution, this element alone may be decisive. If your priority is strong Key Stage 4 outcomes with a clear culture and pastoral structure, King’s remains a serious option, but one best paired with an explicit post-16 plan.

King’s is a state-funded school, so there are no tuition fees. Year 7 admissions are coordinated through the local authority process for secondary transfer, rather than direct paid entry.

For September 2026 Year 7 entry, Brighton and Hove City Council sets an application deadline of 31 October 2025, with National Offer Day on 2 March 2026. The school’s admissions page also highlights an offer response deadline of 16 March 2026.

Open events are typically scheduled in late September and early October, with sessions at 9.00am and 11.00am, and booking required. Dates vary year to year, so treat published dates as the best source of truth for that cycle.

Families considering admission should use FindMySchoolMap Search to check travel practicality and to sense-check alternatives, especially if you are balancing multiple schools across the city.

The pastoral model is tightly linked to the school’s stated values, with a strong emphasis on safety, inclusion, and respectful conduct. The latest Ofsted inspection in March 2022 judged the school Good overall, with Outstanding for Behaviour and Attitudes and for Personal Development.

The report also confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective, describing a vigilant culture, a skilled safeguarding team, and timely referrals when concerns emerge.

Beyond formal safeguarding, there is evidence of structured PSHE, including content around relationships and consent, and pastoral features such as drop-in support and targeted academic support clubs which also function as stabilising routines for many students.

The extracurricular programme is broad and, importantly, specific rather than generic. A recent published programme includes clubs that speak to different student identities and motivations, not just sport.

Academic stretch and subject identity

The programme includes British Physics Olympiad support, a Science Documentary Club, Maths Homework sessions, and subject clinics for GCSE and post-16 courses. The implication is that academic enrichment is organised as a routine option, not only as a reward for top sets.

Creative and performance routes

Music activity includes Chamber Choir, Rock Band, and Stage Band, with structured rehearsal space and named leadership. Drama Club also features as a consistent offer. For students who engage through performance, these are often the activities that anchor belonging.

Belonging and community

Clubs such as Christian Union (including a lunchtime prayer space option) and Youth Drop-In reflect the school’s faith context and wider pastoral partnership approach. Meanwhile, Dungeons and Dragons and retro video games clubs signal space for social connection that does not depend on sport or performance confidence.

Sport is also well represented, with football, netball, rugby, table tennis, and fitness options listed, including provision that is explicitly inclusive of girls and mixed groups.

The school day runs from 8.30am to 3.00pm, structured around tutor time, six periods, and year-specific break and lunch timings.

For travel, the school highlights bus access via routes including the 5 and 5A, and notes additional morning services to the site. For open events during the school day, the school advises that on-site parking is not available and encourages public transport or considerate local on-road parking.

Wraparound care is not typically a feature of secondary schools in the way it is for primaries. King’s does reference breakfast club in its catering information, but detailed wraparound arrangements are best confirmed directly with the school, as they can change by term and cohort.

• Sixth Form closure timeline. The school states an intention to close the Sixth Form from summer 2027 and is not accepting applications for September 2026 entry. Families should separate the Year 7 to 11 decision from the Year 12 to 13 plan.

• Subject consistency. External review evidence praises curriculum ambition and strong practice in many areas, but also identifies specific weaknesses in computing delivery and physical education sequencing at the time of inspection. Ask what has changed since March 2022.

• Applications run through the local authority. Key deadlines for September 2026 entry are set by the council, including the 31 October 2025 deadline and 2 March 2026 offer day. Missing dates can remove options.

• Culture is values-forward. The Christian ethos and associated routines are not a light touch. Families who want a clear faith-informed framework often value this; others may prefer a more secular tone.

King’s School, Hove combines a clear values framework with strong GCSE outcomes and unusually high progress for a state-funded school. Its strongest fit is for families seeking a structured culture, strong pastoral clarity, and academic momentum through Key Stage 4, without tuition fees.

Who it suits, students who respond well to clear boundaries, consistent routines, and enrichment that ranges from academic stretch to performing arts. The main strategic caveat is post-16, families should plan Sixth Form routes carefully given the stated closure timeline.