Denton Community Primary School and Nursery, Newhaven
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Newhaven. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 109th-highest of the 132 schools in East Sussex with published results, and 12,028th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- 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
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery in detail
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery in its own words
In its own words: "The Department for Education (DfE) states that: All [schools] have a duty to 'actively promote' the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. These values were first set out by the government in the 'Prevent' strategy in 2011."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils at Denton Community Primary School and Nursery reached the expected standard in reading and 59% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 72% in East Sussex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 77% in reading and 67% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Denton Community Primary School and Nursery
For September 2026 entry, 32 families put Denton Community Primary School and Nursery as their first choice and 78 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 6 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Denton Community Primary School and Nursery
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Denton Community Primary School and Nursery are Harbour Primary and Nursery School (1 mile, Good, 81% reading, 79% maths); Breakwater Academy (1.2 miles, Good, 81% reading, 81% maths); High Cliff Academy (1.4 miles, Outstanding, 79% reading, 83% maths); and Meridian Community Primary School and Nursery (2.3 miles, Good, 62% reading, 52% maths).
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Harbour Primary and Nursery SchoolBreakwater AcademyHigh Cliff AcademyMeridian Community Primary School and Nursery
What parents say
40 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Denton Community Primary School and Nursery (as of September 2025): 95% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).
Who goes there
3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery has a SEN unit for autism: 8 places, 9 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Newhaven Town Rail Station, about 1000 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Acacia Road (opposite), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 102 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from April 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Denton Community Primary is a warm, happy place where children thrive academically and personally. The school excels at teaching phonics and reading, with pupils becoming fluent readers quickly. Teachers have high expectations for all children, including those with additional needs, and the school provides thoughtful support to help every child succeed.
Key Strengths
- Pupils show positive attitudes to learning and achieve well, particularly in reading and mathematics
- Teachers have strong subject knowledge and high expectations for all pupils, including those with SEND
- The school creates a calm, orderly environment with clear values of respect, resilience and kindness
- Effective phonics teaching helps pupils become fluent readers by key stage 2
- Strong personal development prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding and respond to misconceptions across all subjects
- Some activities chosen by teachers do not always help pupils build on their learning effectively
- Strategies to help pupils recall prior learning are not applied consistently well across all subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
forest school activities, sports clubs, breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, school therapy dog program, university career visits
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery is an inclusive community school where pupils love learning and behave well. The school has maintained the good standards from its previous inspection and has taken effective action to support pupil achievement.
At a Glance
21.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
40 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 77% to 70% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 67% to 59% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 74% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.3
Avg class size
29.0
Infant (KS1)
31.7
KS2
6
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 Denton Community Primary School and Nursery
Term dates
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery is a community 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
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Denton Community Primary School and Nursery from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Denton Community Primary School and Nursery 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
- 17
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 12 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 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 Denton Community Primary School and Nursery
Will you get a place at Denton Community Primary School and Nursery? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Denton Community Primary School and Nursery's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Denton Community Primary School and Nursery:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Denton Community Primary School and Nursery.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from East Sussex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Denton Community Primary School and Nursery 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
99%
Near capacity
207 pupils
210 places
3 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Newhaven
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Newhaven
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
41
SEN Support
13
EHC Plans
23.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery has a SEN unit for autism: 8 places, 9 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
232
Total Pupils
124
Boys
108
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
21.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,997
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,577
Per pupil
£1324k
Total funding
£76k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.0%
Overall absence
13.0%
Persistent absence
184
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
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery
Questions parents ask about Denton Community Primary School and Nursery
What are SATs results like at Denton Community Primary School and Nursery?
Of the pupils at Denton Community Primary School and Nursery who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 70% reached the expected standard in reading and 59% did so in maths.
What is Denton Community Primary School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Denton Community Primary School and Nursery?
No fixed boundary. When Denton Community Primary School and Nursery 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 Denton Community Primary School and Nursery?
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Denton Community Primary School and Nursery?
Classes at Denton Community Primary School and Nursery average 29.3 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 Denton Community Primary School and Nursery?
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery has around 232 pupils on roll. 22% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Denton Community Primary School and Nursery have specialist SEN provision?
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery has a SEN unit for autism: 8 places, 9 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Denton Community Primary School and Nursery?
5% of sessions were missed at Denton Community Primary School and Nursery in 2024/25. 13% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Denton Community Primary School and Nursery?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming Denton Community Primary School and Nursery 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 Denton Community Primary School and Nursery's term dates?
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery is a community 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 Denton Community Primary School and Nursery?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 12 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 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 Denton Community Primary School and Nursery?
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery is at Acacia Road, Denton, Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 0QJ.
Sources: East Sussex term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)