Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School, Cranbrook

Requires Improvement
Primary
Voluntary aided school
Mixed
Church of England
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~1.5km)Possible (~2.1km)Unlikely (~2.7km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Sarah Holman
Pupils:194 / 218 capacity
LA:Kent
Phone:01580713895
Address:Common Road, Sissinghurst, Cranbrook, TN17 2BH
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Outstanding

Leadership & Management

Outstanding

Early Years

Inspected 29 April 2025View full report
URN:118717
UKPRN:10073480
Diocese:Diocese of Canterbury
Constituency:Weald of Kent
Urban/Rural:Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

This school excels at creating a warm, engaging environment where every child's unique talents are valued. Reading is a central strength with expert phonics teaching and classrooms full of interesting books. The school offers wonderful opportunities for pupil leadership and character development, from school council roles to woodland learning where children safely develop independence and practical skills.

Key Strengths

  • Outstanding early years provision giving children a strong foundation for learning
  • Excellent behaviour and positive pupil attitudes, with older pupils supporting younger ones
  • Strong leadership and governance with effective oversight of school improvements
  • Well-taught reading programme with phonics and regular support for struggling readers
  • Effective support for pupils with SEND who are adapted for in lessons

Areas for Improvement

  • Pupils don't consistently retain and recall knowledge in foundation subjects over time
  • Some of the most vulnerable pupils still have poor attendance despite recent improvements

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective with clear policies and a positive culture that prioritises pupil safety.

Extracurricular Activities

School council, house captains, planet defenders, event planners, peace garden development, woodland environment activities, construction area, parachute games, pirate ship building project

Sissinghurst Primary is a good school where leaders have transformed it since the last inspection by implementing a well-planned curriculum and creating a supportive, engaging community. Pupils achieve well academically and develop strong leadership qualities in a caring environment where children 'run into school happily every morning'.

At a Glance

20.7%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

42 responses
Would recommend95%
Child is happy98%
Well taught98%
Good progress88%
Feels safe98%
Well behaved98%
Bullying dealt with24%
Kept informed98%
Handles concerns69%
Wider development91%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-15ppMaths+12ppWriting-10pp

Reading has declined from 83% to 68%. Maths has improved from 70% to 82%. Writing has declined from 87% to 77%.

Class Sizes

24.7

Avg class size

26.3

Infant (KS1)

23.5

KS2

7

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Cleavers (adj)
198m · 3 min walk
Mill Lane (opp)
264m · 4 min walk
Recreation Ground (adj)
409m · 7 min walk
The Barracks (opp)
873m · 14 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

89%

Available places

194 pupils

218 capacity

24 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Cranbrook

High pressure
New homes approved:671
Projected new pupils:168

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Cranbrook

Admissions Demand - Kent

Low demand0.86x oversubscription

Places available

19,144

Applications

16,524

Got 1st preference

90.6%

Got preferred school

98.5%

Primary admissions across Kent (2025/26)

Inspection History(7)

29 April 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding
Early YearsOutstanding
28 February 2023
Requires ImprovementReport
Quality of EducationRequires Improvement
Behaviour & AttitudesRequires Improvement
Personal DevelopmentRequires Improvement
Leadership & ManagementRequires Improvement
Early YearsRequires Improvement
6 February 2018

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.43332%

Overall absence

17.61006%

Persistent absence

159

Enrolments

Authorised3.93868%
Unauthorised1.49464%
Persistent (10%+)17.61006%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

3.84206%
18/19
2.43966%
20/21
4.79031%
21/22
6.08895%
22/23
6.35092%
23/24
5.43332%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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