Pebsham Primary Academy, Bexhill-on-Sea
Pebsham Primary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Bexhill-on-Sea, part of The Kemnal Academies Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 8 schools in Bexhill-on-Sea with published results, and 5,545th of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- 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
Pebsham Primary Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils at Pebsham Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 82% 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 72% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Pebsham Primary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 22 families put Pebsham Primary Academy as their first choice and 44 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Pebsham Primary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Pebsham Primary Academy are St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 82% reading, 82% maths); St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School (1.1 miles, Outstanding, 90% reading, 92% maths); Chantry Community Primary School (1.2 miles, 52% reading, 68% maths); and King Offa Primary Academy (1.5 miles, Good, 78% reading, 82% maths).
Pebsham Primary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary SchoolSt Peter and St Paul CofE Primary SchoolChantry Community Primary SchoolKing Offa Primary Academy
The trust
Pebsham Primary Academy is one of 45 schools run by The Kemnal Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 71% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
70 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Pebsham Primary Academy (as of September 2025): 83% would recommend the school, 89% say their child is happy there and 35% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (90%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (35%).
Who goes there
8.4% 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 (12%) and Black (6%).
In 2026, 33 pupils (17.4%) received SEN support and 5 (2.6%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bexhill Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is School Place (opposite), 110 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Pebsham Primary Academy issued 9 suspensions, 4.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Pebsham Primary Academy are St Richard's Catholic College (0.6 miles) and Mulberry Academy St Leonards (1.6 miles).
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; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school excels at teaching reading, with expert staff who match books carefully to what each child knows and provide extra support for those who need it. Pupils develop strong knowledge across a well-planned curriculum and feel confident to ask questions. The school makes learning real and relevant by using the local beach and community, so children understand their place in the wider world and develop into thoughtful, respectful citizens.
Key Strengths
- Excellent teaching of reading with expert staff support and a well-stocked library that pupils love
- Strong curriculum design that is broad, balanced and carefully sequenced
- Effective identification and support for pupils with SEND, enabling them to achieve well
- Comprehensive personal development with varied trips, clubs and real-world community experiences
- Positive behaviour and collaborative play from Reception onwards with significantly improved attendance
Areas for Improvement
- Learning activities in some subjects beyond maths and English do not focus sharply enough on key knowledge, affecting long-term recall
- Early years assessment lacks rigour in some areas, meaning staff do not consistently identify gaps in children's learning
- Staff need stronger skills to design tasks that help pupils retain important content over time
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created a positive culture where pupils feel safe and know they have trusted adults to turn to.
Extracurricular Activities
Varied clubs, school library work, visits to local residential homes, well-being champion roles, beach and water safety trips, beach ecology learning
Pebsham Primary Academy is a welcoming community school where pupils are confident, happy and achieve well. The school has maintained its Good rating across all areas including quality of education, behaviour, personal development, leadership and early years provision.
At a Glance
27.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
70 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 remained stable at around 79% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 72% to 82% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 79% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.2
Avg class size
25.3
Infant (KS1)
29.0
KS2
6
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Pebsham Primary Academy
Term dates
Pebsham Primary Academy 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 Pebsham Primary Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Pebsham Primary Academy 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
- 24
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 20 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
3 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 Pebsham Primary Academy
Will you get a place at Pebsham Primary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Pebsham Primary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Pebsham Primary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Pebsham Primary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from East Sussex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Pebsham Primary Academy 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
97%
Near capacity
203 pupils
210 places
7 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bexhill-on-Sea
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bexhill-on-Sea
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
33
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
20.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
190
Total Pupils
85
Boys
105
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
19.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,608
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,549
Per pupil
£1284k
Total funding
£91k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.9%
Overall absence
16.3%
Persistent absence
190
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
Pebsham Primary Academy
Questions parents ask about Pebsham Primary Academy
What are SATs results like at Pebsham Primary Academy?
Of the pupils at Pebsham Primary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 79% reached the expected standard in reading and 82% did so in maths.
What is Pebsham Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?
Pebsham Primary Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Pebsham Primary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Pebsham Primary Academy 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 Pebsham Primary Academy?
Pebsham Primary Academy was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Pebsham Primary Academy?
Classes at Pebsham Primary Academy average 27.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Pebsham Primary Academy?
Pebsham Primary Academy has around 190 pupils on roll. 28% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Pebsham Primary Academy?
4.9% of sessions were missed at Pebsham Primary Academy in 2024/25. 16.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Pebsham Primary Academy?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming Pebsham Primary Academy 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 Pebsham Primary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 20 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 3 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 Pebsham Primary Academy?
Pebsham Primary Academy is at School Place, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN40 2PU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)