The Meads Primary School

The Meads Primary School remains a good school, continuing to provide a safe and supportive environment where pupils feel valued and respected. Pupils are engaged in their learning and exhibit good behavior, supported by a strong emphasis on their well-being. The school has high expectations and offers a broad, ambitious curriculum, taking noteworthy steps to enhance teaching effectiveness and student achievement. However, certain pupils continue to underperform in some areas, leading to a focus on professional development for staff and curriculum refinements. This inspection marks the first evaluation since the school's last assessment in 2018, providing essential insights following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Strengths

• Pupils feel valued and safe in a supportive environment.
• There is a strong emphasis on behavior and well-being.
• The curriculum is broad and ambitious with clear learning goals.
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs.
• Reading is prioritized with well-resourced library and phonics instruction.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in how phonics is taught affect some pupils' reading progress.
• Staff need further training in some subjects to enhance curriculum delivery.

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 The Meads Primary School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.4% 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, 1.0% of pupils at The Meads 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 The Meads Primary School had 21.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.2% 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, 15.0% of pupils at The Meads Primary School 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 The Meads Primary School received £6,415 and spent £6,533 for each of its 286 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £37,000 (£130 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 East Grinstead · West Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is The Meads Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Meads Primary School is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.

When was The Meads Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Meads Primary School was last inspected in March 2024.

How many pupils does The Meads Primary School have?

The Meads Primary School has 286 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Meads Primary School cover?

The Meads Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 53% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Meads Primary School?

The Meads Primary School is at The Meads Primary School, Mill Way, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 4DD.