Aldingbourne Primary School

Aldingbourne Primary is a warm, inclusive school where pupils are very happy and behave exceptionally well. The latest full inspection found the school meeting expected standards in all inspected areas, with safeguarding met. Pupils achieve above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6, and foundational skills in phonics and times tables are a clear strength. Disadvantaged pupils often do well, especially in reading and writing, and pupils with SEND are generally well supported. The early years and personal development offer are also positive, with rich wider opportunities in performing arts, sport, clubs and trips. Parents and staff are highly supportive. However, there are areas to sharpen. The curriculum is broad and ambitious, but it does not yet set out the precise knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils need in every subject, and the volume of content can limit depth. Some pupils have gaps in subjects beyond English and maths. Teaching is generally strong, though checks on learning are not always used with enough aspiration, and some activities do not allow all pupils to succeed independently. For pupils with SEND, adaptations are not always precise enough, and disadvantaged pupils do not always receive exactly the right provision at the right time. Leadership has a clear vision and strong staff and parent backing, but governors and leaders need greater rigour in identifying priorities, monitoring actions and measuring impact. Attendance is broadly in line with national averages, but some pupils' attendance is not improving quickly enough, and monitoring systems need to be more rigorous. Overall, this is a good and happy school with solid foundations; the next steps focus on refining curriculum precision, strengthening inclusion adaptations and sharpening leadership evaluation and attendance work.

Strengths

• Pupils behave extremely well and lessons are calm with very little disruption.
• Pupils are eager to learn, respectful, and proud of their supportive school culture.
• Outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 are consistently above national averages.
• Phonics and times tables outcomes are very strong due to a clear focus on foundational knowledge.
• Disadvantaged pupils generally achieve very well, particularly in reading and writing.
• Pupils with SEND are well supported and learn successfully alongside their peers.
• Early years children settle quickly, feel secure, and are well prepared for Year 1.
• The school has a well-designed PSHE curriculum and strong personal development offer.
• Performing arts, water sports, clubs, trips and residentials enrich pupils' experiences.
• Staff are extremely happy, well trained, and supported by leaders.
• Parents are overwhelmingly supportive and praise the school's ethos.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture.
• Governors are committed and fulfil statutory duties, including safeguarding oversight.

Areas for Improvement

• The curriculum does not clearly define the precise key knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils need in each subject.
• The amount pupils have to learn sometimes negatively affects the depth of their learning.
• Some pupils have gaps in knowledge, particularly in subjects other than English and mathematics.
• Teachers' checks on pupils' learning are occasionally not used with enough aspiration to extend pupils.
• Some lesson activities do not allow all pupils to be successful without adult support.
• Individual adaptations for pupils with SEND are not always refined precisely enough.
• Provision for disadvantaged pupils is not always systematically adjusted to ensure they have exactly what they need at the right time.
• Some pupils' attendance is not improving quickly enough.
• Governors need greater rigour in identifying priorities and measuring the implementation and impact of actions.
• Leaders need to refine the curriculum so high-quality teaching is embedded across all subjects and year groups.
• Attendance monitoring and improvement systems need to be more rigorous and effective.
• Support for pupils with more significant social, emotional or mental health needs needs further development.

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 Aldingbourne Primary School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.2% 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, 0.9% of pupils at Aldingbourne 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 Aldingbourne Primary School had 25.9 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, 15.6% of pupils at Aldingbourne Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.3% 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 Aldingbourne Primary School received £6,008 and spent £6,149 for each of its 212 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £42,000 (£197 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 Chichester · West Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is Aldingbourne Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Aldingbourne Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Aldingbourne Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Aldingbourne Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Aldingbourne Primary School have?

Aldingbourne Primary School has 212 pupils on roll.

What age range does Aldingbourne Primary School cover?

Aldingbourne Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Aldingbourne Primary School?

Aldingbourne Primary School is at Westergate Street, Westergate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 3QR.