Midhurst CofE Primary School

About Midhurst CofE Primary School

Midhurst CofE Primary School is a Church of England state primary in Chichester, West Sussex, with a current roll of 185 pupils against a capacity of 240, meaning it is operating well below its maximum. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 22.7 per cent, a figure worth noting for context against national averages. Despite the available places, the school was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 47 total applications for 25 places, with all first-preference applicants receiving an offer. This suggests a strong local demand, even though the school is not filling its full capacity across all year groups. The school is mixed-gender and caters for children aged 4 to 11, with no nursery or sixth form provision. Its religious character as Church of England may appeal to families seeking a faith-based setting, though the school is open to all.

Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2025 rated overall effectiveness as not judged, but the graded inspection gave quality of education and leadership and management a Requires improvement rating. Behaviour and attitudes were rated Good, early years provision was Good, and personal development was rated Outstanding. This mixed picture is reflected in the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results: just 10 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of 56 per cent. Reading and maths average scores were 97 and 96 respectively, well below the national benchmark of 100. In the Chichester local authority ranking, the school sits at 38th out of 38 schools, placing it in the bottom 50 nationally. No progress scores are available, so it is difficult to assess how much value the school adds from starting points.

The school offers a range of facilities including a sensory room, library, playing fields and a chapel, and runs clubs such as drama, choir, chess and eco club. Sports on offer include athletics, cricket, gymnastics and dance. SEND provisions cover moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication, and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent View responses from 49 respondents were overwhelmingly positive: 96 per cent would recommend the school, and strong majorities agreed or strongly agreed that children are happy, safe and well-behaved. However, the SEND support question received no responses, so it is unclear how well that area is perceived. The school suits families who prioritise a supportive, community-focused environment with strong personal development and behaviour, but who are aware that academic outcomes are currently well below local averages and that the school is in a period of improvement under its headteacher Mark Jefferson.

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