Chiddingly Primary School

Chiddingly Primary School has effectively maintained its standards from the previous inspection. It is a warm and inclusive environment where pupils feel safe and valued, leading to high attendance and engagement. Teaching staff are well-trained and committed to the needs of all learners, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school's curriculum is ambitious, fostering independence and motivation among pupils, resulting in good academic outcomes overall. The approach to personal development is also commendable, with strong emphasis on values and community involvement.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe and well cared for by all adults.
• Strong relationships built with families positively impact attendance.
• High expectations for behaviour lead to positive attitudes to learning.
• Curriculum designed to encourage self-motivation and independence.
• Strong subject knowledge among staff, supported by effective training.
• Pupil librarians contribute to the development of school libraries.
• Thoughtful approach to personal development and inclusivity.

Areas for Improvement

• In some subjects, pupils lack opportunities to deepen their understanding and tackle more complex work.

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 Chiddingly Primary School attended 92.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 17.8% 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, 1.0% of pupils at Chiddingly Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Chiddingly Primary School had 16.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 28.6% 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, 17.5% of pupils at Chiddingly Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.9% 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 2018–19 Chiddingly Primary School received £6,429 and spent £5,980 for each of its 99 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £103,000 (£1,044 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 Lewes · East Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is Chiddingly Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Chiddingly Primary School is Good, from an inspection in December 2024.

When was Chiddingly Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Chiddingly Primary School was last inspected in December 2024.

How many pupils does Chiddingly Primary School have?

Chiddingly Primary School has 103 pupils on roll.

What age range does Chiddingly Primary School cover?

Chiddingly Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Chiddingly Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 64% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Chiddingly Primary School?

Chiddingly Primary School is at Muddles Green, Chiddingly, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 6HN.