St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean

St Margaret’s CofE Primary School in Rottingdean demonstrates a commendable commitment to maintaining its established educational standards. The school offers a nurturing environment where pupils feel safe and valued, and families appreciate the supportive culture. Pupils are generally engaged, displaying enthusiasm and curiosity in their learning. Noteworthy strengths include an effective curriculum that promotes personal development and a strong emphasis on outdoor learning experiences. However, there are areas identified for improvement, particularly in ensuring that all learning activities are well-aligned with pupils' existing knowledge to enhance their educational experience further.

Strengths

• Exciting opportunities for learning that engage pupils
• Strong emphasis on pupil well-being and safety
• Inclusive culture that supports pupils with SEND effectively
• Ambitious curriculum with a focus on personal development
• Effective phonics programme promoting early reading skills
• Strong staff relationships leading to a collaborative environment
• Positive parental feedback about the school

Areas for Improvement

• Some lessons do not align well with the intended curriculum, hindering learning

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 St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean attended 92.7% 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, 1.1% of pupils at St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean 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 St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean had 17.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.4% 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, 16.3% of pupils at St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.2% 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 St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean received £6,510 and spent £6,414 for each of its 172 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £54,000 (£313 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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• Secondary Schools

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What is St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean is Good, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean last inspected by Ofsted?

St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean have?

St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean has 172 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean cover?

St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean?

St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean is at Whiteway Lane, Rottingdean, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 7HB.