Darvell School, Robertsbridge
Darvell School is an independent school for pupils aged 4 to 16 in Robertsbridge. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Darvell School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Darvell School are Marlborough House Vinehall School (2.2 miles), Battle Abbey School (4.9 miles) and St Ronan's School (5.5 miles).
Marlborough House Vinehall SchoolBattle Abbey SchoolSt Ronan's School
Who goes there
In 2026, 8 pupils (11.8%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Robertsbridge Rail Station, about 450 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Community College (outside), 300 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 10 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's September 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Darvell School creates a warm, kind and disciplined learning environment where pupils thrive academically and personally. The school harnesses the community's diverse expertise and facilities to provide rich, varied experiences alongside excellent teaching. Pupils develop strong reading and mathematical skills, demonstrate exceptional behaviour, and benefit from outstanding opportunities to explore their talents and future aspirations.
Key Strengths
- Exemplary pupil behaviour, attitudes and attendance with polite, confident and industrious students
- Outstanding personal development with exceptional opportunities to develop talents and interests
- Effective teaching with strong subject knowledge and clear explanations that support good progress
- Well-established broad curriculum with systematic phonics and early reading approach
- Strong support for pupils with special educational needs and high parental satisfaction with SEND work
Areas for Improvement
- Ensure recent curriculum changes and new approaches in subjects like kindergarten phonics are securely embedded to achieve sustained impact on pupil progress
- Continue strengthening the curriculum in some areas to consistently match the school's high ambitions
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong attention to pupils' safety and welfare as paramount priorities.
Extracurricular Activities
Organised games and activities during recess, visits to local area, London and abroad, career tasting sessions, online safety learning, current affairs discussions, physical activity and arts engagement
Darvell School is a small independent school within the Darvell Bruderhof community that provides a warm, nurturing environment with high expectations for its pupils. The school maintains good overall quality of education while achieving outstanding ratings for pupil behaviour, attitudes, and personal development.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby all-through school
Keep up with Darvell School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- 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: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 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 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
56%
Available places
68 pupils
121 places
53 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Robertsbridge
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Robertsbridge
Across East Sussex council
Places available
5,496
Applications
4,990
Got 1st preference
86.3%
Got preferred school
95.9%
All secondary applications across East Sussex council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
8
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
11.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
68
Total Pupils
35
Boys
33
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Darvell School
Questions parents ask about Darvell School
What is Darvell School's Ofsted rating?
Darvell School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2025.
Does Darvell School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in September 2025, Darvell School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Darvell School?
Darvell School has around 68 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Darvell School?
Darvell School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Darvell School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 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 East Sussex is 8 (the median across 221 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Darvell School?
Darvell School is at Darvell, Brightling Road, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, TN32 5DR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)