William Penn School

William Penn School is currently rated as requiring improvement overall, reflecting the need for significant enhancements in several areas of its educational delivery. While the early years provision and personal development programs are well regarded, the quality of education, behavior and attitudes, and leadership and management are noted as areas needing improvement. The school has recognized issues with curriculum sequencing and attendance, and although it has begun to address these, progress is still in the early stages. This marks the first routine inspection of the school since the COVID-19 pandemic, providing context for the inspectors' evaluations.

Strengths

• Provides a kind and caring environment for pupils.
• Strong early years provision that builds good foundations in key areas.
• Good curriculum planning in core subjects like mathematics and English.
• Effective phonics teaching and reading support.
• Good support for personal development and enrichment activities.
• Positive parent feedback regarding communication and support.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent behavior management leading to some distractions in class.
• Curriculum in some subjects not effectively sequenced.
• Teachers lack comprehensive information about pupil achievement in some subjects.
• Attendance below the national average.

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 William Penn School attended 93.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 20.7% 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, 2.5% of pupils at William Penn 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 William Penn School had 15.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 30.3% 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, 17.9% of pupils at William Penn School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.6% 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 William Penn School received £7,913 and spent £8,828 for each of its 84 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £49,000 (£585 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 William Penn School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for William Penn School is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was William Penn School last inspected by Ofsted?

William Penn School was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does William Penn School have?

William Penn School has 84 pupils on roll.

What age range does William Penn School cover?

William Penn School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are William Penn School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 64% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is William Penn School?

William Penn School is at Brooks Green Road, Coolham, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 8GR.