Southwater Infant Academy
About Southwater Infant Academy
Southwater Infant Academy stands out in West Sussex for a simple reason: it is an infant school, so it doesn't have KS2 SATs data to compare against the local authority average of 56. That makes it a different proposition from the primary schools that dominate the LA's rankings. Instead, its performance is measured through Ofsted, and the picture there is strong. The school was rated Good overall in its most recent graded inspection in December 2022, with every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — all rated Good. That consistency is notable, especially given that the school's previous inspection in 2008 rated it Outstanding across the board. While it has stepped down a grade, it has held a solid Good rating for over a decade, which is a reassuring signal for parents looking at a school that only covers Reception through Year 2.
Key Details
The full report on this school
The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Dec 2022Source: Ofsted, 7 Feb 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
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