Fairway Infant School, Copthorne

Fairway Infant School in Copthorne continues to effectively uphold the standards established in its previous inspection, showcasing a nurturing environment where all pupils feel welcome and valued. The school fosters strong relationships between staff and students, which contributes to a calm and purposeful atmosphere conducive to learning. Expectations are high, and pupils demonstrate positive behaviours and a genuine interest in their education, supported by a well-structured curriculum that builds a strong foundation for learning. Despite its strengths, the school faces challenges in consistently monitoring pupil understanding and attendance rates. While teachers often engage pupils effectively, there are occasions when assessments are not sufficiently precise, causing some students to miss important learning opportunities. Furthermore, while efforts to address attendance issues are ongoing, the rates of absence remain higher than average, indicating that continued focus on this area is necessary for improvement.

Strengths

• Strong community ethos that nurtures individual pupil needs
• Warm and trusting relationships between staff and pupils
• High expectations and a calm, purposeful learning environment
• Well-designed and sequenced curriculum from Reception to Year 2
• Effective phonics teaching and support for early reading
• Strong provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)
• Positive behaviour culture among pupils
• Rigorous approach to improving attendance

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent checks on pupil understanding by teachers
• Attendance rates remain higher than in similar schools

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 Fairway Infant School, Copthorne attended 92.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 22.1% 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 Fairway Infant School, Copthorne 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 Fairway Infant School, Copthorne had 24.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 3.0% 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, 12.9% of pupils at Fairway Infant School, Copthorne were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.5% 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 Fairway Infant School, Copthorne received £6,961 and spent £6,912 for each of its 171 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £2,000 (£12 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).

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What is Fairway Infant School, Copthorne's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Fairway Infant School, Copthorne is Good, from an inspection in February 2025.

When was Fairway Infant School, Copthorne last inspected by Ofsted?

Fairway Infant School, Copthorne was last inspected in February 2025.

How many pupils does Fairway Infant School, Copthorne have?

Fairway Infant School, Copthorne has 171 pupils on roll.

What age range does Fairway Infant School, Copthorne cover?

Fairway Infant School, Copthorne for pupils aged 4 to 7.

Where is Fairway Infant School, Copthorne?

Fairway Infant School, Copthorne is at Fairway, Copthorne, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 3QD.