Sidlesham Primary School

Sidlesham Primary School is a small, inclusive primary where leaders are highly ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. The curriculum is very well sequenced, early years provision is strong, and staff receive effective training. Inclusion, personal development, pastoral care and governance are notable strengths, and safeguarding standards are met. Pupils behave well, feel safe and benefit from a wide range of trips, clubs and leadership opportunities. Achievement is improving: recent reading, writing and phonics results are above national averages and mathematics is in line, although combined reading, writing and mathematics and mathematics outcomes have been below national over the latest three-year period. Disadvantaged pupils remain a clear concern, with outcomes well below national and a wide disadvantage gap. Attendance has improved but overall absence and persistent absence are still above national averages; the report's next step is to embed the attendance strategy further, especially for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. Overall, the school is performing well in most areas, with strong leadership and inclusion, but it needs to secure better outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and continue improving attendance.

Strengths

• Highly ambitious leaders with a well-sequenced curriculum across subjects
• Strong early years provision with expert training and high-quality interactions
• Highly inclusive ethos with effective identification and support for SEND and disadvantaged pupils
• Effective leadership and governance with robust challenge and support
• Comprehensive personal development programme and strong pastoral care
• Pupils behave well, feel safe and build warm relationships
• Recent reading, writing and phonics outcomes above national averages
• Wide range of trips, clubs and leadership opportunities for pupils
• Attendance has improved and persistent absence has reduced
• Safeguarding standards met

Areas for Improvement

• Overall absence and persistent absence remain above national averages
• Attendance strategy not yet fully embedded, particularly for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils
• Disadvantaged pupils' outcomes remain well below national averages, with a wide disadvantage gap
• Mathematics and combined reading, writing and mathematics outcomes have been below national averages over the latest three-year period
• Some national test outcomes remain below national averages despite recent improvements

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 Sidlesham Primary School attended 93.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 19.7% 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, 6.6% of pupils at Sidlesham Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Sidlesham Primary School had 21.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 27.0% 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, 15.8% of pupils at Sidlesham Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.3% 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 Sidlesham Primary School received £8,359 and spent £7,885 for each of its 139 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £9,000 (-£67 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 Sidlesham Primary School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Sidlesham Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Sidlesham Primary School was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does Sidlesham Primary School have?

Sidlesham Primary School has 139 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sidlesham Primary School cover?

Sidlesham Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 60% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Sidlesham Primary School?

Sidlesham Primary School is at Keynor Lane, Sidlesham, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 7NL.