Plumpton Primary School

Plumpton Primary School continues to demonstrate good performance overall, showing a strong commitment to the welfare and education of its pupils. The school promotes a positive and nurturing environment where kindness and respect are integral to its ethos. Pupils feel safe and enjoy attending school, with a range of opportunities to engage in community activities and develop leadership skills. Leaders have effectively implemented an ambitious curriculum, particularly in reading and early mathematics, which ensures that most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive a well-rounded educational experience. However, there are areas identified for improvement, particularly in mathematics, where some pupils have historically underachieved. Leaders are already implementing changes to the mathematics curriculum, but more consistent checking of pupils’ understanding during lessons is needed to ensure all pupils reach their full potential. The school is proactive in addressing these concerns, reflecting a dedication to continuous improvement in teaching and learning.

Strengths

• Leaders have high expectations for pupils' behaviour.
• Pupils feel safe and are confident that adults will help if needed.
• The school has a broad and ambitious project-based curriculum.
• Leaders prioritise reading and have created a love for it among pupils.
• Pupils with SEND participate successfully in the same learning activities as their peers.
• Teachers are well-trained to teach phonics effectively.
• Pupils demonstrate high levels of curiosity, concentration, and enjoyment in learning.

Areas for Improvement

• Mathematics curriculum planning has not been as well considered as in other subjects.
• Some teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding before moving on.

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 Plumpton Primary School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.1% 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, 0.8% of pupils at Plumpton 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 Plumpton Primary School had 21.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 3.3% 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, 14.7% of pupils at Plumpton Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.7% 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 Plumpton Primary School received £7,030 and spent £7,282 for each of its 550 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £196,000 (£356 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). This school files a single return with the other schools in its federation, so the figures are for the whole federation.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

What is Plumpton Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Plumpton Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2023.

When was Plumpton Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Plumpton Primary School was last inspected in June 2023.

How many pupils does Plumpton Primary School have?

Plumpton Primary School has 136 pupils on roll.

What age range does Plumpton Primary School cover?

Plumpton Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 50% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Plumpton Primary School?

Plumpton Primary School is at Southdowns, Plumpton Green, Near Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 3EB.