Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School, Heathfield
Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Heathfield. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 6 schools in Heathfield with published results, and 7,071st of 14,452 across England. It was 90% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to East Sussex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School in detail
Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "At Cross in Hand CofE Primary School, our Christian foundation shapes everything we do. We are proud to be a Church of England school where Christian values aren't just words on a wall - they're lived out every day in our classrooms, playground, and wider community. We believe education is about much more than academic achievement."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:15am and after-school care, from £4 per session.
Coming up: an open evening on Monday 16 November 2026 at 6.30pm and an open day on Tuesday 17 November 2026 at 9.15am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in East Sussex
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 80% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 72% in East Sussex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 75% in reading and 73% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 41 families put Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 81 named it as one of their preferences, for 54 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 Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School are Parkside Community Primary School (1.1 miles, Outstanding, 83% reading, 83% maths); All Saints' and St Richard's Church of England Primary School (1.5 miles, Good, 75% reading, 58% maths); Maynards Green Community Primary School (1.7 miles, Good, 77% reading, 71% maths); and Five Ashes CofE Primary School (2.6 miles, Good, 100% reading, 91% maths).
Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Parkside Community Primary SchoolAll Saints' and St Richard's Church of England Primary SchoolMaynards Green Community Primary SchoolFive Ashes CofE Primary School
Who goes there
12.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (88%) and Mixed (5%).
In 2026, 50 pupils (13.2%) received SEN support and 8 (2.1%) 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.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fire Station (opposite), 190 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School issued 2 suspensions, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 5 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its April 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
12.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 75% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 73% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 67% to 73% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.6
Avg class size
22.7
Infant (KS1)
29.7
KS2
10
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School
Term dates
Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by East Sussex. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School is in East Sussex; for families living there:
Apply to East 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
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 9 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
3 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 East Sussex is 8 (the median across 221 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 Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from East Sussex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in East 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
90%
Near capacity
380 pupils
420 places
40 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Heathfield
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Heathfield
Across East Sussex council
Places available
5,501
Applications
4,559
Got 1st preference
91.1%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All primary applications across East Sussex council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
50
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
15.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
379
Total Pupils
204
Boys
175
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
20
Teachers
18.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,290
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,082
Per pupil
£2152k
Total funding
£83k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.2%
Overall absence
13.1%
Persistent absence
350
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School
Questions parents ask about Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 75% reached the expected standard in reading and 80% did so in maths.
What is Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2022.
What is the catchment area for Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School is oversubscribed, East Sussex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School?
Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School average 27.6 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School?
Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School has around 379 pupils on roll. 12% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School?
5.2% of sessions were missed at Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 13.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming Cross-in-Hand Church of England 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 Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School's term dates?
Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by East Sussex. In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 9 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 3 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 East Sussex is 8 (the median across 221 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School?
Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School is at Sheepsetting Lane, Cross in Hand, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 0XG.
Sources: East Sussex term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)