Catsfield Church of England Primary School

Catsfield Church of England Primary School is a caring, ambitious village school where pupils are happy, safe and thriving. Inspectors found the school good in quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and early years, with personal development exceptional. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since 2013, following a period of exemption; leadership has changed significantly in recent years. Pupils' personal development is a standout strength, supported by extensive enrichment, pupil leadership and a strong focus on mental health and inclusion. Early reading and mathematics are strong, SEND provision has become a strength, and safeguarding is effective. Published results were weaker in 2023, but attainment is now strong across the curriculum. The main improvement point is that recent curriculum improvements need more time to embed so that teaching is consistently effective across all subjects and all pupils learn and remember key knowledge securely. Attendance has improved substantially, but some pupils with SEND still do not attend well enough and miss valuable support. Overall, the school is performing well and has notable strengths, with clear areas for further consolidation.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, safe and thriving in a caring and ambitious school.
• Personal development is exceptional, with extensive enrichment and pupil leadership opportunities.
• Early reading is strong, with well-trained staff and effective catch-up support.
• Mathematics is now a strength, with pupils showing secure understanding by the end of key stage 2.
• The curriculum is well planned across subjects, supported by strong subject expertise.
• Behaviour is calm and purposeful, with warm and caring relationships.
• SEND provision is now a strength, with sharp identification and extensive support.
• Attendance has improved, with persistent absence well below the national average.
• Leadership is effective, staff morale is high, and governors fulfil their duties well.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
• Disadvantaged pupils benefit particularly well from the school's offer.

Areas for Improvement

• Recent curriculum improvements need more time to embed so pupils learn and remember knowledge securely across the whole curriculum.
• Teaching is not yet consistently as effective as the best across every lesson and subject.
• Some pupils with SEND do not attend well enough and miss out on high-quality support.

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 Catsfield Church of England Primary School attended 93.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 19.8% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Catsfield Church of England 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 Catsfield Church of England Primary School had 19.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 12.4% of pupils at Catsfield Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.9% 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 2025–26 Catsfield Church of England Primary School received £7,820 and spent £8,044 for each of its 105 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £45,000 (£431 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 Battle · East Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is Catsfield Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Catsfield Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Catsfield Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Catsfield Church of England Primary School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Catsfield Church of England Primary School have?

Catsfield Church of England Primary School has 105 pupils on roll.

What age range does Catsfield Church of England Primary School cover?

Catsfield Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Catsfield Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Catsfield Church of England Primary School?

Catsfield Church of England Primary School is at Church Road, Catsfield, Battle, East Sussex, TN33 9DP.