Blackthorns Community Primary Academy
| Type | Primary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 4-11 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | 3 Blackthorns Close Lindfield Haywards Heath West Sussex RH16 2UA |
| Phone | 01444454866 |
| Reference Number | 141892 |
Blackthorns Community Primary Academy is currently undergoing a transition phase as it prepares for its next graded inspection following a previous outstanding rating. Overall, the school maintains a positive atmosphere where pupils feel happy, safe, and valued. While relationships between staff and pupils are strong, and the curriculum is ambitious, there are concerns regarding the retention of essential knowledge and the support provided for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The effective governance and support from the University of Brighton Academies Trust are noted, contributing to a generally supportive environment.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 210 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 52.86%
Girls: 47.14% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 4.3% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 5.7% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 30.2 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 30.3 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 30 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | 17 | 30 |
| 2 | 20 | 11 | 31 |
| 3 | 19 | 10 | 29 |
| 4 | 13 | 17 | 30 |
| 5 | 16 | 14 | 30 |
| 6 | 14 | 16 | 30 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 79.5% |
| White, Other | 6.2% |
| Indian | 3.8% |
| White & Asian | 2.9% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.9% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.4% |
| African | 1.4% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 1% |
| Asian, Other | 1% |
| Unclassified | 0.5% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 29 Apr 2025 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 29 Apr 2025 | School inspection |
| 18 Sep 2018 | Full inspection: |
| 15 Mar 2018 | Short inspection |
| 08 Apr 2015 | Academy conversion letter |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Full inspection: |
| Previously as Blackthorns Community Primary School, Lindfield | |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Full inspection: |
| 05 May 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 05 May 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 04 Jul 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 04 Jul 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 29 Nov 1999 | Full inspection |
| 29 Nov 1999 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Strong relationships between staff and pupils create a positive learning environment.
- High expectations set for pupil achievement, with overall good performance.
- Effective phonics and early reading instruction with above-average Year 1 screening results.
- A broad curriculum that includes diverse texts and promotes a love for reading.
- Ambitious support for pupils with SEND, ensuring they have the same curriculum access as their peers.
- Personal development is well-integrated into school life, fostering respect for diversity and healthy relationships.
Areas for Improvement
- Need for improvement in helping pupils articulate their learning and link prior knowledge.
- Some pupils with SEND do not receive adequate support in lessons.
- Inconsistent expectations of learning behaviours leading to disengagement in some lessons.
Ofsted Parent View
The latest published parent view scores are from 2018. Ofsted only publish scores if there have been more than 10 responses to the survey.
| Strongly Agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Don't Know | Total Responses | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. My child is happy at this school | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 2. My child feels safe at this school | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 3. My child makes good progress at this school | 14 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 4. My child is well looked after at this school | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 5. My child is taught well at this school | 16 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 6. My child receives appropriate homework for their age | 11 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 |
| 7. This school makes sure its pupils are well behaved | 12 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 |
| 8. This school deals effectively with bullying | 8 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 20 |
| 9. This school is well led and managed | 6 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 20 |
| 10. This school responds well to any concerns I raise | 15 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 |
| 11. I receive valuable information from the school about my child’s progress | 13 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 |
| 12. Would you recommend this school to another parent? | 19 | 1 |
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 77% | ||
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 13% |
Average Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
| Subject | School | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 111 | ||
| Maths | 109 |
Progress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 4.8 | ||
| Writing | -0.4 | ||
| Maths | 2 |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockAverage Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
Sample
UnlockProgress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
Sample
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 82 | 3 |
| Third Preference | 52 | 4 |
| From another Local Authority | 1 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
Unlock| Name | Distance |
|
Lindfield Primary Academy
School Lane, Lindfield, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 2DX |
0.16 miles |
|
Warden Park Primary Academy
New England Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 3JR |
0.75 miles |
|
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Hazelgrove Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 3PQ |
0.92 miles |
|
St Wilfrid's CofE Primary School
Eastern Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 3NL |
0.92 miles |
|
Northlands Wood Primary Academy
Beech Hill, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 3RX |
0.98 miles |
|
Harlands Primary School
Penland Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 1PJ |
1.04 miles |
|
Great Walstead School
East Mascalls Lane, Haywards Heath, RH16 2QL |
1.41 miles |
|
Bolnore Village Primary School
Updown Hill, Bolnore Village, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 4GD |
1.82 miles |
|
St Augustine's CofE Primary School
Vicarage Lane, Scaynes Hill, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 7PB |
1.84 miles |
|
Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, Cuckfield
Glebe Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 5BQ |
2.11 miles |
|
St Peter's CofE Primary School
Holmans, Street Lane, Ardingly, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 6UQ |
2.96 miles |
|
Wivelsfield Primary School
South Road, Wivelsfield Green, East Sussex, RH17 7QN |
3.19 miles |
|
Oak Tree Primary School
Junction Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 0PZ |
3.33 miles |
|
St Giles CofE Primary School
Church Lane, Horsted Keynes, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 7AY |
3.4 miles |
|
Sheddingdean Community Primary School
Petworth Drive, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 8JT |
3.58 miles |
|
Balcombe Cofe Primary School
London Road, Balcombe, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 6HS |
4.2 miles |
|
Birchwood Grove Community Primary School, Burgess Hill
Birchwood Grove Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 0DP |
4.25 miles |
|
St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School
School Close, Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9RJ |
4.26 miles |
|
The Gattons Infant School
Royal George Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9SL |
4.26 miles |
|
Danehill Church of England Primary School
School Lane, Danehill, Haywards Heath, East Sussex, RH17 7JB |
4.38 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Oathall Community College
Appledore Gardens, Lindfield, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 2AQ |
0.26 miles |
|
Warden Park Secondary Academy
Broad Street, Cuckfield, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 5DP |
2.03 miles |
|
Ardingly College
College Road, Haywards Heath, RH17 6SQ |
2.28 miles |
|
Central Education Ltd
Yew Tree Farm, Nash Lane, Scaynes Hill, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 7NJ |
2.49 miles |
|
Chailey Heritage School
Haywards Heath Road, North Chailey, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 4EF |
3.51 miles |
|
Hambrook School
Marle Place, Leylands Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 8HY |
3.76 miles |
|
St Paul's Catholic College
Jane Murray Way, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 8GA |
4.12 miles |
|
Burgess Hill Girls
Keymer Road, Burgess Hill, RH15 0EG |
4.27 miles |
|
The Burgess Hill Academy
Station Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9EA |
4.37 miles |
|
Cumnor House School
London Road, Haywards Heath, RH17 7HT |
4.44 miles |
|
Woodlands Meed
Chanctonbury Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9EY |
4.45 miles |
|
Philpots Manor School
[Postcode RH19 4PR], West Hoathly, West Sussex, RH19 4PR |
4.47 miles |
|
Farney Close School
Bolney Court, Bolney, Crossways, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 5RD |
4.77 miles |