Amberley CofE Primary School, Arundel
Amberley CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Arundel. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. It was 64% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to West Sussex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Amberley CofE Primary School in detail
Getting a place at Amberley CofE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 4 families put Amberley CofE Primary School as their first choice and 15 named it as one of their preferences, for 6 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Amberley CofE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Amberley CofE Primary School are Bury CofE Primary School (1.6 miles, Good, 83% reading, 83% maths); St James' CofE Primary School, Coldwaltham (2.3 miles, Good, 80% reading, 40% maths); Storrington Primary School (3.4 miles, Good, 74% reading, 68% maths); and St Philip's Catholic Primary School (3.8 miles).
Bury CofE Primary SchoolSt James' CofE Primary School, ColdwalthamStorrington Primary SchoolSt Philip's Catholic Primary School
What parents say
16 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Amberley CofE Primary School (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 88% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that their child does well at the school (88%).
Who goes there
4.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 12 pupils (26.7%) received SEN support and 1 (2.2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Staffing
Amberley CofE Primary School had 6 teachers in 2026, one for every 8 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Amberley Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Primary School (outside), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes within a mile of the school, most often other theft and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in West Sussex (103).
Suspensions and exclusions
Amberley CofE Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils are safe, happy and secure. They are surrounded by adults and peers who know them well and care for them at this small friendly school. An adult with a listening ear is never far away if pupils need to share a worry. They appreciate that any concerns will be listened to and acted upon.
Staff expect pupils to behave well and work hard at school and they do. This is the norm. Pupils rise to these expectations and are clear that respect is important. They are positive about how they are treated and extend this to others. Pupils enjoy their social times. They get along well together at playtimes, when they enjoy the games and activities on offer in the extensive space.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has taken swift and effective action to respond to the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection in May 2023. The school has acted upon a range of external advice to help drive things forward successfully. Staff feel positive about the changes that have been made. These have included careful consideration of their workloads so that they can focus on teaching. Morale is high and everyone shares a sense of pride in being part of the team. Staff are united in their determination to continue to raise standards even further and secure the very best for pupils.
The school has ensured that an ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum is in place. This sets out clearly what pupils will learn and when, from Reception to Year 6. All pupils are supported well to access the curriculum. Recently a review of some subjects, such as history, and design and technology, has helped to further develop sequences of learning. Pupils are building knowledge and skills increasingly well in these subjects. The school is in the process of reviewing other subjects across the wider curriculum.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its January 2018 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
28.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
16 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
17.5
Avg class size
17.0
KS2
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Amberley CofE Primary School
Term dates
Amberley CofE Primary School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by West Sussex. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Amberley CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Amberley CofE Primary School is in West Sussex; for families living there:
Apply to West Sussex for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in West Sussex is 11 (the median across 337 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Amberley CofE Primary School
Will you get a place at Amberley CofE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Amberley CofE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Amberley CofE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Amberley CofE Primary School.
- West Sussex publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Amberley CofE Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Amberley CofE Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in West Sussex got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
64%
Available places
45 pupils
70 places
25 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Arundel
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Arundel
Across West Sussex council
Places available
9,608
Applications
8,127
Got 1st preference
92.4%
Got preferred school
99.2%
All primary applications across West Sussex council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(9)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
12
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
28.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
45
Total Pupils
22
Boys
23
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
7.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,116
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£9,702
Per pupil
£495k
Total funding
£18k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.5%
Overall absence
17.4%
Persistent absence
46
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Amberley CofE Primary School
What is Amberley CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Amberley CofE Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Amberley CofE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Amberley CofE Primary School is oversubscribed, West Sussex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Amberley CofE Primary School?
Amberley CofE Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 64% of its 70 places.
How big are the classes at Amberley CofE Primary School?
Classes at Amberley CofE Primary School average 17.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Amberley CofE Primary School?
Amberley CofE Primary School has around 45 pupils on roll. 29% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Amberley CofE Primary School?
6.5% of sessions were missed at Amberley CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 17.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Amberley CofE Primary School?
Apply through West Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming Amberley CofE Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
What are Amberley CofE Primary School's term dates?
Amberley CofE Primary School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by West Sussex. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027).
How many road collisions happen near Amberley CofE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in West Sussex is 11 (the median across 337 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Amberley CofE Primary School?
Amberley CofE Primary School is at School Road, Amberley, Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 9NB.
Sources: West Sussex term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)