Slinfold CofE Primary School and Pre School

About Slinfold CofE Primary School and Pre School

Slinfold CofE Primary School and Pre School is a small Church of England primary in the West Sussex village of Slinfold, within the Horsham borough. Among the 226 state primary schools across the local authority, it ranks 164th on the key stage 2 expected standard measure, placing it in the bottom half of the county. The top-performing peers in the same LA include Barns Green Primary School, Heron Way Primary School, and Aldingbourne Primary School, all of which score notably higher on the same ranking metric. The school’s local rank within Horsham itself is 34th out of 35 primary schools, a position that reflects its modest academic outcomes relative to immediate neighbours. With 127 pupils on roll against a capacity of 140, the school is not yet full, and its oversubscription data tells an interesting story: for 20 places in 2025/26, there were 67 total applications and 22 first-preference requests, resulting in an oversubscription ratio of 3.35, meaning the school is popular despite its ranking position.

Academically, the most recent data from the 2023/24 key stage 2 assessments shows a mixed picture. Just 33% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined, well below the West Sussex LA average of 56%. In reading, 78% met the expected standard and 39% achieved a higher score, while in maths, 72% met the expected standard and 22% reached the higher threshold. Writing was the weakest area, with only 33% at the expected standard and none reaching the higher standard. The school’s average scaled scores were 107 in reading and 103 in maths. Ofsted visited in September 2023 and upgraded the school from Requires Improvement to Good across all categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. The previous inspection in January 2020 had rated the school Requires Improvement overall, with quality of education and early years provision both scoring 3. The improvement in Ofsted’s judgement is a clear positive signal for parents.

The school offers a range of facilities including a library, music rooms, a chapel, and an outdoor playground, plus a dining hall. Sports provision covers dance, gymnastics, cricket, athletics, and cross country, while after-school clubs include book club, science club, art club, film club, and coding. SEND support is well-documented, with provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. The school has a pre-school attached and accepts children from age 2. With a 16.5% free school meals rate, the intake is slightly above the national average for disadvantage. This is a school that has turned around its Ofsted rating and is clearly valued by local families, as shown by its oversubscription, but parents should weigh the below-average KS2 outcomes against the strong pastoral and SEND support on offer.

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