Polegate Primary School

Polegate Primary School is performing exceptionally well in all areas, highlighted by its outstanding grade across all inspection domains. The school fosters a positive and inclusive environment where pupils are motivated, confident, and eager to learn. Leaders maintain high expectations for both academic achievement and personal development, promoting an ethos of curiosity and respect among the pupils. The school is also in the process of expanding its intake, indicating a growing reputation in the local community.

Strengths

• Strong emphasis on the quality of education and effective curriculum design.
• Outstanding behaviour and attitudes among pupils.
• Highly inclusive environment supporting special educational needs.
• Exceptional leadership fostering high standards for pupils.
• Interactive and engaging early years provision.

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 Polegate Primary School attended 95.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.4% 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, 0.7% of pupils at Polegate 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 Polegate Primary School had 23.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 2.0% 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, 18.0% of pupils at Polegate Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.5% 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 Polegate Primary School received £6,594 and spent £6,613 for each of its 662 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £344,000 (£520 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 Polegate Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Polegate Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was Polegate Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Polegate Primary School was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does Polegate Primary School have?

Polegate Primary School has 689 pupils on roll.

What age range does Polegate Primary School cover?

Polegate Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

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

In 2025, 66% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Polegate Primary School?

Polegate Primary School is at Oakleaf Drive, East Sussex, Polegate, East Sussex, BN26 6PT.