Seal Primary Academy

About Seal Primary Academy

Seal Primary Academy sits comfortably above the West Sussex local authority average for primary schools when it comes to Key Stage 2 outcomes. The LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined is 56%, but at Seal that figure is 63% — a clear seven-point lead. That places the school 59th out of 226 primary schools in the county, putting it in the top quarter of its local authority. Its ranking score of 63 also puts it ahead of many peers, though it trails the top performers like Barns Green and Heron Way, both on 86. Within the Chichester district specifically, Seal ranks 6th out of 38 primary schools, which is a strong showing for a village academy. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 confirmed it remains Good overall, with leadership and management judged Outstanding — a notable upgrade from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2011.

Digging into the 2023/24 SATs results, Seal’s performance is solid across the core subjects. In maths, 77% of pupils reached the expected standard and 31% achieved the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 104. Reading saw 67% at expected and 13% at the higher level, averaging a score of 102. Writing was similar, with 69% meeting expectations, though only 2% reached greater depth. The combined expected standard of 63% is a healthy benchmark, but the proportion reaching the higher standard in all three subjects is just 2%, suggesting the school is strong at getting most children to a secure level rather than pushing large numbers into the top tier. The school has no sixth form, as it’s a primary, so there are no GCSE or A-Level results to consider. Compared with its previous inspection, the school has clearly improved: the 2011 inspection rated it Requires Improvement overall, with leadership and management also Requires Improvement, whereas now both are Good or better.

Seal Primary Academy is a state-funded mixed primary for ages 4 to 11, with 302 pupils on roll against a capacity of 413, so there is some headroom. It is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 57 applications for 36 places, with 35 first-preference offers made — an oversubscription ratio of 1.58. The school serves a community where 20.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is slightly above the national average for primaries. Facilities include a Forest School, sensory room, library, art studios and playing fields, and the school offers a range of sports and clubs such as film club, chess, gardening and science club. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional needs, speech and language needs, visual impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. For families in the Chichester area looking for a primary that delivers above-average academic outcomes without being a high-pressure environment, Seal offers a well-supported, inclusive setting with strong leadership.

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