Sheddingdean Community Primary School, Burgess Hill

Ofsted's report card from its 2 June 2026 inspection grades Sheddingdean Community Primary School on 7 areas: 2 expected standard and 5 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed a well-sequenced curriculum that sets out what children need to learn and when."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have established a clear programme for pupils' personal development that builds knowledge over time."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils' achievement across the school is variable."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Pupils' attendance is not yet high enough."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Pupils feel safe in this welcoming school."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Staff's approaches to inclusion are not effective enough across the school."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Leaders, including those responsible for governance, understand the school's strengths and identify appropriate areas for improvement."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should check that staff identify pupils' needs accurately, understand the barriers to their learning and act swiftly to address these so that pupils achieve well"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers check pupils' understanding consistently well across the curriculum and make timely and precise adaptations to address misconceptions, close gaps in knowledge and help pupils learn the curriculum securely"; "Leaders should ensure that teaching enables pupils to build securely on their early letter formation so that they develop fluent, accurate and legible handwriting over time"; "Leaders should continue to implement and review their attendance strategy so that attendance improves and is consistently high for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged".

In its own words: "Sheddingdean School was built in 1986, opened in 1987, and provides accommodation for 210 children. It is co-educational and caters for children aged 4 to 11 years. Children are admitted at the beginning of the academic year in which their fifth birthday occurs."

In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils at Sheddingdean Community Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 72% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 72% in West Sussex and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 93% in reading and 77% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 25 families put Sheddingdean Community Primary School as their first choice and 114 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 4 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Sheddingdean Community Primary School are Oak Tree Primary School (0.7 miles); St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles, 90% reading, 88% maths); The Gattons Infant School (0.7 miles, Good); and Southway Junior School (0.9 miles, Good, 82% reading, 87% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Sheddingdean Community Primary School.

8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (80%) and Asian (7%).

The nearest railway station is Wivelsfield Rail Station, about 820 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).

15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bramber Way (adjacent), 60 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Sheddingdean Community Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 185 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in West Sussex (103), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Sheddingdean Community Primary School issued 30 suspensions, 14.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Sheddingdean Community Primary School are The Burgess Hill Academy (0.9 miles) and St Paul's Catholic College (1 mile).