Arunside School, Horsham

Arunside School in Horsham continues to be recognized as a good school, with a strong culture of inclusivity and high expectations among both staff and pupils. Students express enthusiasm for school, form positive relationships, and receive tailored support, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has implemented an ambitious curriculum aimed at progressive knowledge acquisition across grades, ensuring pupils achieve well, especially in mathematics. However, there are some gaps in learning due to inconsistent assessments in certain subjects, which prevent teachers from identifying misconceptions effectively.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate eagerness to learn and form warm relationships.
• The school fosters a strong culture of inclusivity.
• Teachers set high expectations for learning and behaviour.
• The mathematics curriculum is particularly strong.
• Phonics instruction is well-structured and effective.
• Pupils show a firm understanding of various faiths and cultures.
• There are ample opportunities for extracurricular activities.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent assessment practices leading to gaps in pupil understanding.

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 Arunside School, Horsham attended 95.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.0% 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, 0.7% of pupils at Arunside School, Horsham 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 Arunside School, Horsham had 20.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 4.8% 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, 19.1% of pupils at Arunside School, Horsham 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 Arunside School, Horsham received £6,280 and spent £6,276 for each of its 413 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £93,000 (£225 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 Horsham · West Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is Arunside School, Horsham's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Arunside School, Horsham is Good, from an inspection in October 2023.

When was Arunside School, Horsham last inspected by Ofsted?

Arunside School, Horsham was last inspected in October 2023.

How many pupils does Arunside School, Horsham have?

Arunside School, Horsham has 413 pupils on roll.

What age range does Arunside School, Horsham cover?

Arunside School, Horsham for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Arunside School, Horsham's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Arunside School, Horsham?

Arunside School, Horsham is at Blackbridge Lane, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1RR.