Alfriston School

Alfriston School is a small primary school where pupils are safe, proud of their school and achieve very well. Inspectors found exceptionally strong provision across all areas, with high expectations, a well-designed curriculum and excellent early years provision. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are successful, and the school’s work to support disadvantaged pupils and early readers is particularly effective. The school’s personal development and enrichment work are notable strengths. Pupils benefit from sport, drama, music, trips and leadership opportunities, and they develop confidence, resilience and respect for difference. Behaviour is impressive, safeguarding is effective, and leadership and governance are strong. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was previously judged good; the report identifies no areas of concern.

Strengths

• High expectations help all pupils, including those with SEND, achieve very well.
• The curriculum is well designed and encourages pupils to think as artists, geographers and scientists.
• Early years provision gives children a flying start and quickly addresses barriers to learning.
• Early reading and mathematics programmes are excellent and build strong pupil confidence.
• Pupils who struggle with early reading are supported effectively by skilled staff.
• Pupils with SEND are constantly assessed and supported, with learning well adapted to their needs.
• Personal, social and health education is bespoke and prepares pupils well for secondary school.
• Behaviour and attitudes are impressive, and pupils learn strategies to manage anxiety.
• Enrichment through sport, drama, music, trips and performances is a daily feature.
• Pupils have many opportunities to lead and contribute, including through the eco committee and school council.
• Leadership, governance and staff buy-in are strong, with effective oversight across the school.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Alfriston School attended 94.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 18.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Alfriston School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Alfriston School had 13.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 11.8% of pupils at Alfriston School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Alfriston School received £8,490 and spent £8,369 for each of its 85 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £81,000 (£957 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Wealden · East Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is Alfriston School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Alfriston School is Outstanding, from an inspection in July 2025.

When was Alfriston School last inspected by Ofsted?

Alfriston School was last inspected in July 2025.

How many pupils does Alfriston School have?

Alfriston School has 85 pupils on roll.

What age range does Alfriston School cover?

Alfriston School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Alfriston School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 54% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Alfriston School?

Alfriston School is at North Road, Alfriston, Polegate, East Sussex, BN26 5XB.