Seaside Primary School

Seaside Primary School is an exceptionally happy and welcoming very large primary school where pupils are well known as individuals. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection as an academy; it had previously been judged outstanding before converting to academy status, and under current arrangements it has not been given an overall effectiveness grade. Inspectors found all judged areas outstanding, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. The school has very high expectations and a highly ambitious curriculum, with reading given very high priority from Reception. Skilled phonics teaching helps pupils learn to read quickly, and staff identify and support pupils who need extra help. Pupils with SEND are carefully identified and teachers adapt learning expertly. Behaviour is exceptional, pupils are keen to learn, attendance is strong, and personal development is exceptionally well supported through a wide range of clubs, activities and leadership opportunities. Leaders are committed and reflective, parents are overwhelmingly positive, and governors and trustees support and challenge the school skilfully. The school has already tackled an identified need to improve support for pupils working above expected levels in writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, and no significant weaknesses were identified in the report.

Strengths

• Exceptionally happy, welcoming environment where pupils are well known as individuals
• Very high expectations for achievement realised through skilful teaching from Reception
• Highly ambitious curriculum with reading as a very high priority
• Strong phonics teaching and rapid support help pupils learn to read quickly
• Pupils behave outstandingly and are extremely keen to learn
• Remarkably calm environment for learning with consistent high expectations
• Outstanding personal development prepares pupils exceptionally well for later life
• Wide range of clubs, activities and leadership opportunities highly valued by pupils
• Expert support for pupils with SEND and close monitoring of progress
• Excellent engagement with parents and effective support for attendance
• Committed, reflective leaders who identify and tackle improvement areas sharply
• Governors and trustees collaborate skilfully to support and challenge leaders
• Effective safeguarding arrangements

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 Seaside Primary School attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.0% 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, 1.6% of pupils at Seaside Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Seaside Primary School had 23.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.7% 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, 15.3% of pupils at Seaside Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.3% 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 2024–25 Seaside Primary School received £5,585 and spent £5,400 for each of its 620 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £873,000 (£1,408 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

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All schools in Lancing · West Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is Seaside Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Seaside Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was Seaside Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Seaside Primary School was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does Seaside Primary School have?

Seaside Primary School has 620 pupils on roll.

What age range does Seaside Primary School cover?

Seaside Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Seaside Primary School?

Seaside Primary School is at Freshbrook Road, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 8DL.