Little Common School

About Little Common School

Little Common School has a strong parent community, with 96% of respondents to the most recent Parent View survey saying they would recommend the school. That figure comes from 122 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, giving it a solid base. The school is also oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 academic year, it received 140 applications for 90 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.56. Of those, 84 were first-preference applications, and all 84 received an offer. Parents report very high levels of satisfaction on specific measures: 98% strongly agree or agree that their child is happy, and 95% feel their child is safe. The school also scores well on communication, with 95% of parents agreeing the school makes them aware of what their child will learn, and 89% saying they are kept informed about their child's progress.

Academically, Little Common School is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, a grade it received in its most recent graded inspection in March 2020, with all key areas — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — all judged Outstanding. This is a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2015, when the school was rated Good overall, with early years provision and leadership both graded as Requires Improvement. In its most recent ungraded inspection in June 2025, Ofsted confirmed that standards have been maintained. The school is one of only 10 primary schools in East Sussex rated Outstanding out of 144 total primary schools in the local authority. While specific KS2 SATs results are not provided in the data, the local authority average for KS2 attainment is 59, which gives a useful benchmark for parents comparing schools in the area.

The school is a mixed, state primary for children aged 2 to 11, with nursery provision on site. It currently has 622 pupils against a capacity of 630, so it is running very close to full. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 16.1%, slightly above the national average for primary schools. Facilities include a library, playing fields, a gymnasium, an outdoor playground, and a chapel. The school offers a range of sports including football, gymnastics, rounders, dance, netball, and cricket, plus clubs such as drama, coding, eco club, and film club. For SEND, the school supports a wide range of needs, including specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that clearly appeals to local families, as shown by its oversubscription, and it suits parents who prioritise strong academic standards, broad extracurricular opportunities, and a well-supported SEND framework.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Little Common School

Helpful Guides for Parents