Oakwood Primary Academy

About Oakwood Primary Academy

Oakwood Primary Academy’s headline Key Stage 2 results sit slightly below the East Sussex local authority average, with 53% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the LA average of 59%. That places the school 86th out of 144 primary schools in the county, putting it in the bottom half locally. However, the picture is more nuanced when you look at individual subjects. Reading scores are a relative strength: the average scaled score of 102 is above the national benchmark of 100, and 68% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, with 12% reaching the higher standard. Maths is a little weaker, with an average score of exactly 100 and only 4% hitting the higher threshold. Writing is broadly in line with reading for expected attainment, at 68%, but just 2% of pupils achieved the higher standard. The school’s ranking score of 53 places it in the bottom 50% nationally, though it ranks 5th out of 10 primary schools within Eastbourne itself.

Academically, Oakwood has been on an upward trajectory since its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2022, when it was rated Good across all five categories. That was a significant improvement from its previous inspection in March 2020, which had judged the school Inadequate overall, with a grade 4 for quality of education, leadership and management, and overall effectiveness. The turnaround is reflected in the 2022 inspection, where every area — from behaviour and attitudes to early years provision — was rated Good. Progress scores are not available in the published data, so it’s hard to say how much value the school adds year on year, but the jump in Ofsted grades suggests stronger leadership under headteacher Hannah Morgan. The school serves a relatively disadvantaged intake, with 40.6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, well above the national average, which adds context to the attainment figures.

Oakwood Primary Academy is a state-funded, mixed-gender primary with a nursery provision for children aged three and over, and a total capacity of 420 pupils, though it currently has 304 on roll. It was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, with 51 applications for 34 places and 32 first-preference offers, so families should be prepared for a competitive admissions process. Facilities include music rooms, art studios, a forest school area, an outdoor playground, and a chapel. Sports provision covers swimming, football, athletics, gymnastics, dance and rounders, while extracurricular clubs include coding, choir, film club and science club. The school has a broad range of SEND provisions, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, visual impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that has clearly turned itself around and now offers a stable, well-regarded option for Eastbourne families, particularly those looking for strong SEND support and a broad enrichment programme.

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