Middle Street Primary School

About Middle Street Primary School

Middle Street Primary School in Brighton and Hove sends a strong signal to parents that it is a popular choice: for the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed by a ratio of 2.74, with 63 applications chasing just 23 places. Of those, 17 families put it as their first preference, and all 17 were offered a spot. That kind of demand suggests a school that local parents trust and want to get into. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2024, rated it Good overall, with a standout Outstanding grade for personal development. That’s a meaningful detail for families who care about how their child will grow as a person, not just academically. The headteacher, Rob Cooper, leads a relatively small school of 192 pupils, well within its capacity of 210, so class sizes are likely to feel manageable and personal.

Academically, Middle Street performs around the middle of the pack in Brighton and Hove. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 60% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is just above the local authority average of 59%. The school ranks 21st out of 40 primary schools in the area, placing it in the bottom half of the league table. However, the picture is more nuanced than that headline suggests. Reading scores were notably strong: the average scaled score was 108, and 64% of pupils reached the higher standard in reading, compared with just 32% in maths and 16% in writing. Maths scores were more modest, with an average of 102 and 68% reaching the expected level. Only 8% of pupils hit the higher standard across all three subjects, which is a low figure and something to weigh up if your child is working at a high level.

The school offers a decent range of facilities for its size, including a sports hall, gymnasium, forest school and an ICT suite, plus clubs like science, gardening and chess. Sports on offer include netball, tennis, dance and gymnastics. For families with children who have additional needs, the SEND provision is broad, covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health, speech and language needs, hearing impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. With 32.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse catchment. The oversubscription ratio tells you it’s a sought-after school, but the 17 first-preference offers show that if you live close enough and apply early, a place is realistic. It’s a good fit for families who value a strong personal development focus and a community feel over top-tier academic rankings.

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