West Chiltington Community Primary School

West Chiltington Community Primary School is a smaller-than-average primary school where pupils are proud of their school and feel safe. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and, under the framework used, no overall effectiveness grade was awarded; the school was judged good in all key areas, including early years. Pupils are described as confident, articulate and keen to learn, and they behave well in calm, orderly lessons. The curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced, and the school has made strong provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities so they learn alongside their peers. Reading is a clear priority from Reception, with a structured programme and targeted support for those who need it, and children get a strong start in the early years. Personal development is also a strength, with pupils learning about diversity and taking part in enrichment and citizenship opportunities. Safeguarding is effective, governors know the school well, and staff feel valued. Some areas still need improvement. Teachers’ subject and pedagogical knowledge is uneven across subjects, which means pupils do not always achieve as well as they could; in mathematics, for example, pupils do not always have sufficient appropriate opportunities to explore concepts. Subject leadership is at an early stage in a few subjects, and some leaders have not yet checked learning or supported teachers effectively. A small number of pupils attend less well than they should, although the school’s actions are beginning to improve this.

Strengths

• Pupils are proud of their school, feel safe and trust adults to help with worries.
• Pupils develop into confident, articulate young people with a thirst for learning.
• The curriculum is ambitious and clearly sequences the knowledge pupils need to learn.
• Provision for pupils with SEND is highly inclusive and carefully identified.
• Reading is prioritised from the start of Reception through a well-structured programme.
• Pupils who need extra reading support receive carefully targeted interventions.
• Children in the early years benefit from a well-resourced and thoughtfully considered environment.
• Pupils behave well, and lessons are calm and orderly.
• Personal development promotes diversity, inclusion and responsible citizenship.
• Governors carry out their statutory duties effectively and staff feel valued.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• Teachers’ knowledge of how to deepen pupils’ understanding is stronger in some subjects than others.
• In mathematics, pupils do not always have sufficient appropriate opportunities to explore mathematical concepts.
• Subject leadership in some subjects is at an early stage of development.
• Some subject leaders have not checked how well pupils are learning or supported teachers to deliver the curriculum effectively.
• A few pupils do not attend school as well as they should, though action is beginning to have a positive effect.

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 West Chiltington Community Primary School attended 95.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.0% 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, 0.5% of pupils at West Chiltington Community 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 West Chiltington Community Primary School had 19.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.4% 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, 22.9% of pupils at West Chiltington Community Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.6% 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 West Chiltington Community Primary School received £6,076 and spent £6,062 for each of its 192 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £48,000 (£252 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 Pulborough · West Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is West Chiltington Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for West Chiltington Community Primary School is Good, from an inspection in February 2025.

When was West Chiltington Community Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

West Chiltington Community Primary School was last inspected in February 2025.

How many pupils does West Chiltington Community Primary School have?

West Chiltington Community Primary School has 192 pupils on roll.

What age range does West Chiltington Community Primary School cover?

West Chiltington Community Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are West Chiltington Community Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 56% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is West Chiltington Community Primary School?

West Chiltington Community Primary School is at East Street, West Chiltington, Pulborough, West Sussex, RH20 2JY.