Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery, Rye
Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Rye, part of Diocese of Chichester Academy Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 25th-highest of the 132 schools in East Sussex with published results, and 4,602nd of 14,452 across England. It was 80% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to East Sussex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery in detail
Results
In 2025, 86% of Year 6 pupils at Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery reached the expected standard in reading and 79% 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 80% 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 Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery
For September 2026 entry, 22 families put Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery as their first choice and 40 named it as one of their preferences, for 22 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery are Beckley Church of England Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 58% reading, 83% maths); Brede Primary School (2.8 miles, Good, 100% reading, 100% maths); Sandhurst Primary School (3.1 miles, Good, 79% reading, 79% maths); and Bodiam Church of England Primary School (3.2 miles, Requires improvement, 64% reading, 82% maths).
Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Beckley Church of England Primary SchoolBrede Primary SchoolSandhurst Primary SchoolBodiam Church of England Primary School
The trust
Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery is one of 28 schools run by Diocese of Chichester Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
27 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (89%).
Who goes there
16.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 28 pupils (17.6%) received SEN support and 2 (1.3%) 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 autism.
Staffing
Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery had 7 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Northiam (Kent & East Sussex Railway), about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Primary School (outside), 10 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 8 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery issued 6 suspensions, 4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in January 2022. Before that, as Northiam Church of England Primary School (URN 114516), it was rated Good in June 2019.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Northiam is a caring community where children love to learn and feel genuinely valued. The school excels at supporting all learners, especially through its strong reading provision and excellent care for pupils with additional needs. Parents are fully included in school life, and the addition of the Nursery has strengthened early years learning from age two.
Key Strengths
- Strong reading programme that helps all pupils, including those struggling, become confident readers
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND who are quickly identified and fully included
- Clear school values (fellowship, trust, thankfulness, compassion, humility, courage) that are understood and lived daily by all
- Well-designed curriculum with 'Focus Fridays' creating enrichment opportunities across mixed age groups
- Positive behaviour and attitudes to learning with pupils acting as proud role models
Areas for Improvement
- Some learning activities lack precision, meaning pupils miss opportunities to deepen their thinking and make connections with previous learning
- Some pupils are not attending school regularly enough, missing key learning
- Need to further develop checking pupil understanding throughout lessons to support retention of teaching
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders putting pupils' interests first and creating an open, positive culture around safety.
Extracurricular Activities
Reading champions, play leaders, school council, Focus Fridays activities, mixed age group learning
Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery is a friendly, welcoming village school where pupils thrive and feel safe. The school has maintained good standards since its previous inspection, with particular strengths in early years provision and reading.
At a Glance
16.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
27 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 improved from 80% to 86% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 67% to 79% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 73% to 86% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
21.0
Avg class size
30.5
KS2
5
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery
Term dates
Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see East Sussex's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Northiam Church of England 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)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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 Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery
Will you get a place at Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Northiam Church of England 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 Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery for 2022 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
80%
Available places
112 pupils
140 places
28 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Rye
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Rye
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
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
28
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
18.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
159
Total Pupils
91
Boys
68
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
7
Teachers
22.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,806
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,187
Per pupil
£764k
Total funding
£26k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.3%
Overall absence
10.3%
Persistent absence
97
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery
What are SATs results like at Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery?
Of the pupils at Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 86% reached the expected standard in reading and 79% did so in maths.
What is Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?
Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in January 2022. Before that, as Northiam Church of England Primary School (URN 114516), it was rated Good in June 2019.
What is the catchment area for Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery?
No fixed boundary. When Northiam Church of England 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 Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery?
Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery was not full in 2025: it ran at 80% of its 140 places.
How big are the classes at Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery?
Classes at Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery average 21 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 Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery?
Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery has around 159 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery?
4.3% of sessions were missed at Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery in 2024/25. 10.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming Northiam Church of England 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.
How many road collisions happen near Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in East Sussex is 8 (the median across 221 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery?
Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery is at Main Street, Northiam, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 6NB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)