Park Mead Primary School

Park Mead Primary School has successfully maintained the standards highlighted in its previous inspection, demonstrating effective leadership and a committed staff. The school fosters a nurturing and inclusive environment where pupils feel safe and valued, with strong support for those with special educational needs. The curriculum is ambitious and well-sequenced, helping pupils to engage effectively with learning and develop positive attitudes towards their education. Notably, pupils enjoy a variety of activities and contribute to their community, showing active citizenship and respect for diversity.

Strengths

• Strong emphasis on a nurturing and friendly school environment
• High expectations for pupil behavior and engagement
• Ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum design
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs
• Strong focus on reading and phonics from an early age
• Positive relationships between staff and pupils
• Active citizenship projects that engage pupils with their community
• High attendance rates supported by monitoring and family involvement

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent checking of pupil understanding and misconceptions
• Need for sharper identification of learning gaps to adapt teaching

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 Park Mead Primary School attended 94.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.7% 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, 1.1% of pupils at Park Mead Primary 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 Park Mead Primary School had 14.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 23.8% 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, 25.6% of pupils at Park Mead Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.2% 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 2021–22 Park Mead Primary School received £6,579 and spent £7,337 for each of its 105 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £32,000 (£306 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 Hailsham · East Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is Park Mead Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Park Mead Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Park Mead Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Park Mead Primary School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Park Mead Primary School have?

Park Mead Primary School has 90 pupils on roll.

What age range does Park Mead Primary School cover?

Park Mead Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Park Mead Primary School?

Park Mead Primary School is at Michelham Priory Road, Upper Dicker, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 3QP.