Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School

Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School is a warm and welcoming school where pupils feel happy and safe. Pupils benefit from a broad and enriched curriculum, strong pastoral care and a wide range of wider opportunities. The school has high expectations and includes pupils with SEND in all aspects of school life, although it recognises that outcomes in national assessments in English and mathematics are not high enough and is working to improve achievement. Personal development and early years provision are particular strengths. Children in Reception get off to a very strong start in a stimulating environment, and pupils benefit from rich experiences such as social action projects, community links and visits. Reading and phonics are taught effectively, behaviour is calm and caring, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. The main areas for improvement are in a few foundation subjects, where the curriculum tries to include too much, does not clearly identify core knowledge, and is not implemented precisely enough. As a result, pupils do not have enough opportunity to revisit learning and sometimes struggle to remember important knowledge. The school is part of the Bluebell Federation, and this was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Strengths

• Warm and welcoming school where pupils feel happy and safe
• Effective phonics and reading provision from Reception onwards
• Broad and enriched curriculum with a strong focus on language and vocabulary
• Strong inclusion and effective support for pupils with SEND
• Exceptional early years provision that builds a solid foundation for learning
• Calm, caring and harmonious behaviour in lessons and around school
• Personal development is a considerable strength, with extensive wider opportunities
• Pupils learn about equality, diversity, safety and healthy relationships
• Committed leaders and governors who support staff workload and well-being
• Effective safeguarding arrangements

Areas for Improvement

• In a few foundation subjects, the curriculum includes too much and lacks clarity about core knowledge
• Pupils do not have enough opportunity to revisit and review previous learning in some subjects
• Curriculum implementation in some foundation subjects is not precise enough to embed learning over time
• Pupils sometimes forget important knowledge in a few foundation subjects
• Outcomes in national assessments in English and mathematics are not high enough

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 Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School attended 91.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 22.0% 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, 1.0% of pupils at Chailey St Peter's 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 Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School had 17.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 42.3% 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, 24.0% of pupils at Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.8% 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 Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School received £10,183 and spent £10,110 for each of its 104 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £61,000 (£589 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).

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

What is Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2025.

When was Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School have?

Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School has 104 pupils on roll.

What age range does Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School cover?

Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 27% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School?

Chailey St Peter's Church of England Primary School is at Chailey St Peter's Ce Primary School, East Grinstead Road, North Chailey, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 4DB.