Hamsey Community Primary School, Lewes
Hamsey Community Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Lewes. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the highest of the 13 schools in Lewes with published results, and 3,408th of 14,452 across England. It was 90% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- 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
Hamsey Community Primary School in detail
Hamsey Community Primary School in its own words
The school runs after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 17 November 2026 at 9.30am and an open day on Thursday 7 January 2027 at 9.30am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in East Sussex
Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at Hamsey Community 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 were similar in 2024 (92% in reading, 75% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Hamsey Community Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 17 families put Hamsey Community Primary School as their first choice and 33 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Hamsey Community Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Hamsey Community Primary School are Wallands Community Primary and Nursery School (1.8 miles, Good, 65% reading, 67% maths); Barcombe Church of England Primary School (1.9 miles, Outstanding, 56% reading, 50% maths); South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School (2 miles, Good, 90% reading, 73% maths); and Southover CofE Primary School (2.5 miles, Good, 77% reading, 60% maths).
Hamsey Community Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Wallands Community Primary and Nursery SchoolBarcombe Church of England Primary SchoolSouth Malling CofE Primary and Nursery SchoolSouthover CofE Primary School
Who goes there
15.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 8.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (86%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 39 pupils (39.4%) received SEN support and 1 (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 a moderate learning difficulty.
Staffing
Hamsey Community Primary School had 9 teachers in 2026, one for every 10 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Cooksbridge Rail Station, about 140 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Railway Station (opposite), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 6 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, drug offences and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Hamsey Community Primary School issued 1 suspension, 1.1 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; DfE school workforce census; 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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils are kind and caring at this inclusive school. They are well prepared for their next steps. As one pupil said, 'We are ready for the world.' Older pupils act as excellent role models. They model the school's high expectations well. Pupils of all ages play together at breaktimes happily.
Pupils are happy at school. Teachers build warm and supportive relationships with pupils. As a result, they feel safe and know that staff will address any worries they may have. Pupils enjoy learning. They work hard in lessons and remember the important knowledge and skills they learn. Older pupils have a rich and varied vocabulary that they use to express complex ideas well.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has a well-designed and ambitious curriculum that begins in early years. Leaders have considered precisely what pupils should learn and when they should learn it. The school has prioritised pupils' oracy. Pupils build on their prior learning and to remember the important skills and knowledge that they need.
Teachers have sound subject knowledge. They explain learning clearly and promote rich discussion among pupils. However, at times these aspects are not consistently effective. As a result, pupils do not always learn as well as they could. Teachers check pupils' understanding carefully. These checks help teachers to identify how much pupils know and remember. Teachers plan activities that help pupils catch up quickly if they fall behind in their learning.
From Ofsted's June 2024 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 June 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
15.2%
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 90% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 75% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 75% to 80% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.0
Avg class size
25.0
Infant (KS1)
27.0
KS2
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Hamsey Community Primary School
Term dates
Hamsey Community Primary School 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 Hamsey Community Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Hamsey Community 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
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 3 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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
Your chances of a place at Hamsey Community Primary School
Will you get a place at Hamsey Community Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Hamsey Community Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Hamsey Community Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Hamsey Community 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 Hamsey Community 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
94 pupils
105 places
11 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Lewes
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Lewes
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
39
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
40.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
99
Total Pupils
55
Boys
44
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
11.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£58,750
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,823
Per pupil
£711k
Total funding
£26k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.1%
Overall absence
12.9%
Persistent absence
85
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Hamsey Community Primary School
What are SATs results like at Hamsey Community Primary School?
Of the pupils at Hamsey Community Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 90% reached the expected standard in reading and 80% did so in maths.
What is Hamsey Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Hamsey Community Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024.
What is the catchment area for Hamsey Community Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Hamsey Community 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 Hamsey Community Primary School?
Hamsey Community Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 105 places.
How big are the classes at Hamsey Community Primary School?
Classes at Hamsey Community Primary School average 23 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Hamsey Community Primary School?
Hamsey Community Primary School has around 99 pupils on roll. 15% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Hamsey Community Primary School?
6.1% of sessions were missed at Hamsey Community Primary School in 2024/25. 12.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Hamsey Community Primary School?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming Hamsey Community 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 Hamsey Community Primary School's term dates?
Hamsey Community Primary School 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 Hamsey Community Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 3 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Hamsey Community Primary School?
Hamsey Community Primary School is at Cooksbridge, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 4SJ.
Sources: East Sussex term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)