St John the Baptist CofE Primary School

About St John the Baptist CofE Primary School

St John the Baptist CofE Primary School in Arun holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, but the detail beneath that headline is what catches the eye. The school’s Early Years provision was judged Outstanding, the only category to reach that top grade, while leadership, behaviour, personal development and the quality of education all came in as Good. On the academic front, the most telling metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — 65% did so in the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 tests. That figure sits nine percentage points above the West Sussex local authority average of 56%, placing the school 6th out of 27 primary schools in Arun and in the top 50% nationally. It’s a solid, above-average performance that suggests children here are making good progress through the curriculum.

Digging into the individual subject scores, reading stands out as a particular strength. 88% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, with 31% reaching the higher standard — well above the national benchmark. Maths followed closely, with 81% at expected and 19% at the higher level, while writing saw 69% at expected but only 4% at the higher end, a gap that might be worth a closer look for parents whose children are strong writers. The average scaled scores tell a similar story: 107 in reading and 104 in maths, both comfortably above the national average of 100. There’s no Progress 8 data available for this primary school, but the raw outcomes combined with the Ofsted judgement suggest a school that is delivering consistently good results, particularly in reading and early years.

With 121 pupils on roll against a capacity of 148, the school is not full, yet it was oversubscribed for 2025/26 admissions — 42 applications for 20 places, all 20 first-preference offers accepted. That 2.1 oversubscription ratio hints at strong local demand. Facilities include art studios, a library, music rooms, a gymnasium and a chapel, reflecting its Church of England foundation. Sports provision covers netball, gymnastics, dance, rounders and athletics, while clubs range from Eco Club to Film Club. The school lists SEND support for dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, autism and social, emotional and mental health challenges. For families in Arun looking for a well-regarded, faith-based primary with strong reading outcomes and an Outstanding early years start, this is a school that merits a visit.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St John the Baptist CofE Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents