Bishop Tufnell CofE Primary School, Felpham

About Bishop Tufnell CofE Primary School, Felpham

Bishop Tufnell CofE Primary School sits within the West Sussex local authority, in the Arun borough, and is one of 226 primary schools in the county. Its ranking among these schools places it at 168th, with a KS2 performance score that puts it in the bottom 50% nationally. The top-performing peers in the same local authority include Barns Green Primary School, Heron Way Primary School, and Aldingbourne Primary School, all of which achieved significantly higher ranking scores. This context is important for parents weighing up local options, as it shows Bishop Tufnell is not among the highest-achieving primaries in the area, but it does serve a specific community with a Church of England character and a headteacher, Joshua Chamberlin, who has overseen a notable improvement in its Ofsted rating.

Academically, the school’s most recent Key Stage 2 results from the 2023/24 year show a mixed picture. Just 30% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined, which is well below the West Sussex local authority average of 56%. In reading, 66% reached the expected standard and 15% achieved a higher standard, while in maths, 49% met the expected level and 8% reached the higher threshold. Writing was weaker, with only 41% at the expected standard and none at the higher level. The school’s average reading score was 103 and maths 100. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, the school was rated Good overall, with Good marks across all categories including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This was a clear improvement from its previous inspection in 2018, when it was rated Requires Improvement.

The school has capacity for 630 pupils but currently has 334 on roll, so it is not full, yet it was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake with 80 applications for 37 places, and 35 first-preference offers made. Facilities include playing fields, a sports hall, gymnasium, library, sensory room, and a chapel, reflecting its Church of England foundation. Sports on offer include rounders, athletics, netball, cross country, and gymnastics, while clubs range from drama and choir to film, book, and science clubs. The school provides SEND support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs. This is a school that has turned around its Ofsted rating and offers a broad range of activities, but parents should weigh its below-average KS2 outcomes against the pastoral and SEND support available.

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