Desmond Anderson Primary Academy

About Desmond Anderson Primary Academy

Desmond Anderson Primary Academy in Crawley is a state primary that is running very close to full capacity, with 434 pupils on roll against a school capacity of 440. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 22.1%, which is notably higher than the national average for primary schools and suggests the school serves a community with above-average levels of economic disadvantage. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 96 applications for just 40 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.4 to one. Of those applicants, 35 put the school as their first preference, and all 35 were offered a place. The school is led by headteacher Managey Powys and has a mixed intake from age 2 to 11, with nursery provision available. It is a non-faith school with no religious character, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025 confirmed that standards are being maintained, with an overall effectiveness rating of Good.

Academically, the school's Key Stage 2 results from the 2023/24 academic year show a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 47%, which is below the West Sussex local authority average of 56%. In the Crawley local authority ranking, the school sits 14th out of 21 primaries, placing it in the bottom half of schools locally. Looking at individual subjects, 62% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, 71% in writing, and 55% in maths. Higher attainment levels are relatively low: just 7% achieved the higher standard in maths, 22% in reading, and 3% in writing. The school's average scaled scores were 100 in maths and 101 in reading, both in line with the national average of 100. Nationally, the school ranks in the bottom 17% of primaries for the combined expected standard metric.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including an ICT suite, sports hall, gymnasium, outdoor playground, forest school, and even a chapel. Sports provision covers cricket, football, swimming, dance, tennis, and cross country, while clubs include art, science, and drama. The school has a dedicated resourced provision and supports pupils with a wide range of special educational needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Parent views from the most recent survey period (September 2024 to September 2025) were largely positive: 87% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and 91% felt their child is safe. However, the SEND support question showed a split, with 53% agreeing or strongly agreeing that the school gives SEND children the support they need, compared to 42% who disagreed or strongly disagreed. This is a school that clearly appeals to local families given its oversubscription, but parents of children with additional needs may want to explore the SEND provision in more detail before applying.

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