Heron Way Primary School, Horsham
Heron Way Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Horsham. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the highest of the 26 schools in Horsham with published results, and 172nd of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to West Sussex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Heron Way Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 100% of Year 6 pupils at Heron Way Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 97% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 72% in West Sussex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (98% in reading, 96% in maths).
Getting a place at Heron Way Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 78 families put Heron Way Primary School as their first choice and 207 named it as one of their preferences, for 59 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 23 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Heron Way Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Heron Way Primary School are Kingslea Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 90% reading, 90% maths); Leechpool Primary School (0.8 miles, Requires improvement, 85% reading, 83% maths); Oakfields Primary School, Horsham (1 mile, Good, 56% reading, 54% maths); and St Mary's CofE (Aided) Primary School (1.3 miles, Good, 93% reading, 90% maths).
Heron Way Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Kingslea Primary SchoolLeechpool Primary SchoolOakfields Primary School, HorshamSt Mary's CofE (Aided) Primary School
Who goes there
5.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 7.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (74%), Mixed (9%) and Asian (8%).
In 2026, 46 pupils (11%) received SEN support and 12 (2.9%) 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 specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Horsham Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brambling Road (adjacent), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Heron Way Primary School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Heron Way Primary School issued 2 suspensions, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Heron Way Primary School are The Forest School (0.3 miles) and Millais School (0.5 miles).
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); 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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its February 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
5.3%
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 100% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 97% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 88% to 98% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.8
Avg class size
29.8
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
14
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Heron Way Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Heron Way Primary School.
- Kids' All Star Sports600m away · Not yet graded
- Barracudas Horsham Millais740m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Heron Way Primary School is a community 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 Heron Way Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Heron Way 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
- 5
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
2 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 Heron Way Primary School
Will you get a place at Heron Way Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Heron Way Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Heron Way Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Heron Way Primary School.
- West Sussex publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Heron Way Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Heron Way 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
100%
Full
420 pupils
420 places
No spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Horsham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Horsham
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
46
SEN Support
12
EHC Plans
13.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
417
Total Pupils
190
Boys
227
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
16.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,447
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,086
Per pupil
£2283k
Total funding
£36k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.4%
Overall absence
3.0%
Persistent absence
365
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
Heron Way Primary School
Questions parents ask about Heron Way Primary School
What are SATs results like at Heron Way Primary School?
Of the pupils at Heron Way Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 100% reached the expected standard in reading and 97% did so in maths.
What is Heron Way Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Heron Way Primary School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2024.
What is the catchment area for Heron Way Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Heron Way 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 Heron Way Primary School?
Heron Way Primary School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Heron Way Primary School?
Classes at Heron Way Primary School average 29.8 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Heron Way Primary School?
Heron Way Primary School has around 417 pupils on roll. 5% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Heron Way Primary School?
3.4% of sessions were missed at Heron Way Primary School in 2024/25. 3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Heron Way Primary School?
Apply through West Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming Heron Way 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.
Does Heron Way Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Heron Way Primary School: Kids' All Star Sports (600m away, registered, not yet graded) and Barracudas Horsham Millais (740m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Heron Way Primary School's term dates?
Heron Way Primary School is a community 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 Heron Way Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 2 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 Heron Way Primary School?
Heron Way Primary School is at Heron Way, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 6DJ.
Sources: West Sussex term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)