Handcross Primary School

Handcross Primary School continues to perform well, maintaining its status as a good school since its last inspection in February 2018. The school fosters a safe and happy environment where pupils, including those with special educational needs, thrive academically. Strong relationships and high expectations create an atmosphere conducive to learning, while effective teaching practices, especially in reading and mathematics, contribute to pupils' successes. Parents express confidence in the school's quality of care and education. However, there is recognition that in some foundation subjects, the curriculum lacks clarity on essential knowledge, which can hinder some students from effectively building on their prior learning. Leaders are focused on improving this aspect, with ongoing efforts to refine the ambitious curriculum further. Overall, the school’s dedication to its mission of 'Happy, Safe and Aiming High' is evident, and its safeguarding measures are robust and effective.

Strengths

• Strong emphasis on building relationships among pupils and staff.
• High expectations for behavior and learning are consistently met.
• Well-structured early years program that encourages confidence.
• Effective teaching strategies in reading and mathematics.
• Pupils demonstrate a love for reading and achieve fluency.
• Support for pupils with SEND is prompt and effective.
• Leaders prioritize staff well-being and involve them in decision-making.
• Robust safeguarding measures ensure a culture of safety.

Areas for Improvement

• Some foundation subjects lack precise identification of key knowledge.

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 Handcross Primary School attended 96.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.2% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Handcross 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 Handcross Primary School had 21.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.8% 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, 13.9% of pupils at Handcross Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.2% 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 Handcross Primary School received £7,063 and spent £7,155 for each of its 235 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £155,000 (£661 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 Haywards Heath · West Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is Handcross Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Handcross Primary School is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was Handcross Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Handcross Primary School was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does Handcross Primary School have?

Handcross Primary School has 238 pupils on roll.

What age range does Handcross Primary School cover?

Handcross Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

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

In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Handcross Primary School?

Handcross Primary School is at London Road, Handcross, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 6HB.