West Hove Infant School

West Hove Infant School is performing exceptionally well. Inspectors found a school where staff have very high expectations, pupils are highly engaged and motivated, and the quality of education is consistently strong across the school. The curriculum is carefully sequenced from Reception onwards, training is innovative and effective, and systems for checking what pupils know and remember work well. Reading is a clear priority, with strong early reading provision and effective support for pupils who need extra help. Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are excellent, classrooms are calm and purposeful, and pupils are respectful and confident learners. Personal development is a notable strength: pupils understand equality and kindness, feel safe, and are well supported to understand their emotions and mental health. Pupils with SEND are swiftly identified and well supported, attendance is strong, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Leadership is determined and highly effective at every level, with a strong focus on staff workload and well-being and insightful governance. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first since 2013, when it was previously judged outstanding; it is a large two-site infant school federated with Hove Junior School. No areas for improvement were identified in the report.

Strengths

• Curriculum is meticulously sequenced from Reception onwards.
• Staff training is innovative and leads to remarkably consistent teaching.
• Systems for checking what pupils know and remember are highly effective.
• Reading is a school priority with strong early reading provision.
• Early interventions help disadvantaged pupils and pupils needing extra reading support.
• Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are excellent, with no disruption in lessons.
• Pupils are respectful, happy and engaged learners.
• Personal development is exceptionally strong, including equality, kindness and mental health.
• Pupils with SEND are swiftly identified and exceptionally well supported.
• Attendance is a strength, with thorough tracking and work with families.
• Leaders at all levels are determined and effective.
• Governors are thorough and insightful, supporting cooperative accountability.
• Staff workload and well-being are genuinely considered.
• 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 West Hove Infant School attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.3% 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, 0.4% of pupils at West Hove Infant 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 West Hove Infant School had 30.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 26.7% 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, 10.5% of pupils at West Hove Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.6% 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 West Hove Infant School received £7,716 and spent £6,473 for each of its 506 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £6,000 (£12 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 Hove · Brighton and Hove local authority: places and applications

What is West Hove Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for West Hove Infant School is Outstanding, from an inspection in December 2024.

When was West Hove Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

West Hove Infant School was last inspected in December 2024.

How many pupils does West Hove Infant School have?

West Hove Infant School has 506 pupils on roll.

What age range does West Hove Infant School cover?

West Hove Infant School for pupils aged 5 to 7.

Where is West Hove Infant School?

West Hove Infant School is at Portland Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 5JA.