St Nicolas & St Mary CofE Primary School

About St Nicolas & St Mary CofE Primary School

St Nicolas & St Mary CofE Primary School sits in Adur, West Sussex, and its headline Key Stage 2 results put it comfortably ahead of the local authority average. The school’s proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined stands at 68%, compared with a West Sussex primary average of 56%. That twelve-point gap is significant, and it’s reflected in the school’s ranking: fifth out of eleven primaries in Adur, and in the top third nationally. The school also outperforms the LA average in individual subjects, with 91% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and 89% in maths. Higher-standard attainment is more mixed — 35% hit the higher bar in reading, 26% in maths, but only 5% in writing — which suggests the school is strong at getting most children to a solid level, even if stretching the very top end in writing remains a work in progress. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in December 2024, confirmed that standards are being maintained at Good overall, with leadership and management also rated Good.

The school’s Progress 8 data isn’t available, but the raw scores give a clear picture of attainment. Average scaled scores of 108 in reading and 107 in maths are above the national benchmark of 100, reinforcing the sense of a school that delivers consistently above the norm. The Ofsted history shows a shift from Outstanding (awarded in 2010) to Good in its most recent graded inspection, but the 2024 ungraded visit found no decline in standards. Parent feedback is broadly positive: 87% of respondents would recommend the school, and 95% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy there. The school’s capacity is 420, and with 391 pupils on roll it’s not quite full, yet it was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry, receiving 119 applications for 47 places — a ratio of 2.53 applicants per place, with all first-preference applicants offered a spot.

The school offers a Church of England character and caters for children from age 2 through to 11, with nursery provision on site. Facilities include a library, sports hall, gymnasium, music rooms, art studios and a chapel, and the school fields teams in football, cricket, swimming and netball. Clubs range from coding and eco club to gardening and film club. SEND support covers specific learning difficulties, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, autistic spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health needs. The parent view data shows that 69% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that SEND children get the support they need, though 23% disagreed or strongly disagreed, which is a notable minority. With 10.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a broadly mixed catchment. It’s a strong choice for families in Adur who want above-average academic outcomes in a church school setting, particularly those who value a broad range of facilities and a clear focus on core skills.

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