Heron Way Primary School

Heron Way Primary School is performing at an outstanding level across all areas, maintaining high expectations and delivering a quality education that engages pupils. The inspection highlighted the school’s strong focus on emotional and physical support for its pupils, paving the way for high academic achievements and fostering the development of resilience and positive attitudes. The dedicated staff create an inclusive atmosphere, enabling all pupils, including those with special educational needs, to thrive academically and personally. The school not only excels in curriculum design and delivery but also in developing pupils' character and life skills through diverse opportunities beyond the classroom. The commitment to reading is evident through a well-resourced library and enthusiastic teaching strategies, ensuring that all pupils are supported to develop their literacy skills quickly. The cooperative efforts of the governing body and the school leadership further strengthen the school’s effectiveness in nurturing and challenging learners.

Strengths

• Pupils exhibit exceptional behaviour and attitudes towards learning.
• Teachers possess expert subject knowledge and effectively adapt their teaching.
• Strong focus on emotional and physical needs of pupils creates an inclusive atmosphere.
• Curriculum is engaging and logically sequenced to build understanding.
• The school fosters resilience and determination among pupils.
• Excellent early years provision prepares children for future education.
• Strong emphasis on reading and literacy 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 Heron Way Primary School attended 96.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.0% 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 Heron Way 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 Heron Way Primary School had 20.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.9% 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, 11.0% of pupils at Heron Way Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.9% 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 Heron Way Primary School received £5,844 and spent £5,704 for each of its 417 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £188,000 (£451 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 Heron Way Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Heron Way Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in April 2024.

When was Heron Way Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Heron Way Primary School was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does Heron Way Primary School have?

Heron Way Primary School has 417 pupils on roll.

What age range does Heron Way Primary School cover?

Heron Way Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 95% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Heron Way Primary School?

Heron Way Primary School is at Heron Way, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 6DJ.