Pound Hill Infant Academy, Crawley
Pound Hill Infant Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 7 in Crawley, part of Reach2 Academy Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. It was 99% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 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
Pound Hill Infant Academy in detail
Pound Hill Infant Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Pound Hill Infant Academy is a large infant academy with 270 pupils, aged 4-7 years old, located in the heart of Crawley, West Sussex. We are extremely proud of our welcoming academy where we strive to ensure that all our pupils reach their potential."
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Pound Hill Infant Academy
For September 2026 entry, 77 families put Pound Hill Infant Academy as their first choice and 263 named it as one of their preferences, for 86 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 Pound Hill Infant Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Pound Hill Infant Academy are Pound Hill Junior School, Crawley (under 0.1 miles, Good, 89% reading, 88% maths); Milton Mount Primary School (0.4 miles, 79% reading, 75% maths); Three Bridges Primary School (0.7 miles, Requires improvement, 77% reading, 65% maths); and Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery (0.8 miles, Requires improvement).
Pound Hill Junior School, CrawleyMilton Mount Primary SchoolThree Bridges Primary SchoolMaidenbower Infant School and Nursery
The trust
Pound Hill Infant Academy is one of 65 schools run by Reach2 Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 66% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
51 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Pound Hill Infant Academy (as of September 2025): 98% would recommend the school, 94% 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 the school has high expectations for their child (86%).
Who goes there
10.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 26% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (36%), Asian (29%) and Mixed (11%).
In 2026, 47 pupils (17.5%) received SEN support and 5 (1.9%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Three Bridges Rail Station, about 560 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Worth Park Avenue (sw-bound), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 156 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 West Sussex (103), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Pound Hill Infant Academy issued 8 suspensions, 3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Pound Hill Infant Academy are Hazelwick School (0.7 miles), Oriel High School (1 mile) and The Gatwick School (1.4 miles).
Sources: 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); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; 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 July 2014, 12 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
This school creates a nurturing community where children thrive from their very first day in early years. Staff are dedicated to helping every child succeed, with particular strength in teaching reading and supporting children who speak English as an additional language. The school celebrates diversity, offers enriching experiences, and prioritises mental health and wellbeing alongside academic learning.
Key Strengths
- Expert early reading instruction with effective catch-up support for those who need it
- Highly inclusive approach with strong support for pupils with SEND who make excellent progress
- Outstanding behaviour, positive relationships, and attendance better than national average
- Carefully designed curriculum across all subjects with secure teacher subject knowledge
- Exceptional personal development through pupil committees, spiritual learning, and therapeutic support
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils do not retain essential knowledge over time across the curriculum
- Teaching activities need to be more precisely designed to help pupils learn and remember key knowledge long term
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a strong culture that prioritises pupils' interests.
Extracurricular Activities
Sport clubs, music clubs, creative clubs, trips to aquarium and London Eye, visits from authors and faith leaders, space dome visit, eco committee, charity committee, pupil parliament
Pound Hill Infant Academy is a successful school where pupils blossom emotionally and academically, with excellent behaviour and outstanding personal development. The school has high expectations, strong inclusive practices, and is highly valued by parents and the community.
At a Glance
10.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
51 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
29.9
Avg class size
29.9
Infant (KS1)
9
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Pound Hill Infant Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Pound Hill Infant Academy.
- Southeast Kids CampsAt the school · Not yet graded
- Active Stars770m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Pound Hill Infant Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see West Sussex's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Pound Hill Infant Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Pound Hill Infant Academy 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
- 30
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 26 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
7 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 Pound Hill Infant Academy
Will you get a place at Pound Hill Infant Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Pound Hill Infant Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Pound Hill Infant Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Pound Hill Infant Academy.
- West Sussex publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Pound Hill Infant Academy that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Pound Hill Infant Academy for 2016 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
99%
Near capacity
269 pupils
270 places
1 spare place in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Crawley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Crawley
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
47
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
19.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
269
Total Pupils
149
Boys
120
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
16.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,746
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,452
Per pupil
£1605k
Total funding
£26k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.7%
Overall absence
13.5%
Persistent absence
192
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
Pound Hill Infant Academy
Questions parents ask about Pound Hill Infant Academy
What is Pound Hill Infant Academy's Ofsted rating?
Pound Hill Infant Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Pound Hill Infant Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Pound Hill Infant Academy 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 Pound Hill Infant Academy?
Pound Hill Infant Academy was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Pound Hill Infant Academy?
Classes at Pound Hill Infant Academy average 29.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Pound Hill Infant Academy?
Pound Hill Infant Academy has around 269 pupils on roll. 11% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Pound Hill Infant Academy?
4.7% of sessions were missed at Pound Hill Infant Academy in 2024/25. 13.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Pound Hill Infant Academy?
Apply through West Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming Pound Hill Infant 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.
Does Pound Hill Infant Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Southeast Kids Camps (registered, not yet graded). There is another within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Pound Hill Infant Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 26 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 7 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 Pound Hill Infant Academy?
Pound Hill Infant Academy is at Crawley Lane, Pound Hill, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 7EB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)