Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School

Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School has improved rapidly since its previous inspection, when it was judged to require improvement. New leadership, including a new headteacher and chair of governors, has tackled the earlier weaknesses, and a well-planned, carefully sequenced curriculum now runs from the early years upwards. Leadership is highly effective, early years provision is exceptionally strong, and pupils achieve well. Pupils behave especially well and personal development is a growing strength, with meaningful pupil leadership roles, outdoor learning, a strong reading culture and well-taught phonics. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported, safeguarding is effective, and staff feel well supported. Overall attendance has improved sharply. The main remaining concern is that, in some foundation subjects, pupils are not consistently helped to recall and connect prior learning over time. Some of the most vulnerable pupils still do not attend well enough, and leaders recognise this as an ongoing priority.

Strengths

• Well-planned, carefully sequenced curriculum across subjects, starting in the early years
• Leadership has transformed the school and addressed previous inspection weaknesses
• Governors hold leaders to account effectively
• A professional network with a local trust supports ongoing improvement
• Subject leaders are empowered to train and support staff, building strong subject expertise
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported and achieve well
• Early years provision gives children an exceptionally positive start
• Pupils' wider development and leadership opportunities are a growing strength
• Reading is a central priority, with well-taught phonics and effective interventions
• Pupils behave especially well and treat one another with kindness
• Overall absence has decreased sharply
• Staff feel well supported with workload, well-being and professional development
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• In some foundation subjects, pupils are not consistently supported to retain knowledge over time
• Pupils are less able to recall prior learning and connect it to current work in some wider curriculum areas
• Some of the most vulnerable pupils still do not attend well 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 Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School attended 94.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 17.6% 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 Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided 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 Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School had 23.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.2% 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, 13.4% of pupils at Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% 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 Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School received £6,207 and spent £6,547 for each of its 194 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £10,000 (£51 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 Cranbrook · Kent local authority: places and applications

What is Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School have?

Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School has 194 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School cover?

Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 64% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School?

Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School is at Common Road, Sissinghurst, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 2BH.