South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School, Lewes
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
This is a caring school where children thrive in a calm and purposeful environment. Staff are skilled at supporting children to develop strong communication skills and love of reading from the start. Pupils benefit from culture-rich experiences like visits to the theatre and opera house, alongside meaningful community projects that teach them to be responsible citizens.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on speaking and listening skills from early years, helping pupils communicate confidently and clearly
- Expert teaching of phonics and early reading, with quick identification of pupils needing support
- Positive behaviour culture throughout the school with consistent approach and pupils understanding the impact of their actions
- Effective support for pupils with SEND who achieve well
- Strong personal development programme including community projects and leadership opportunities
Areas for Improvement
- Some staff lack confidence in implementing the writing curriculum effectively, meaning some pupils have insecure grammar, punctuation and spelling knowledge
- Attendance of disadvantaged pupils and some pupils with SEND remains too low, causing them to miss important learning
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Theatre visits, opera house visits, Dodge the Smog project, eco-warriors club with bug boxes project
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School is a welcoming school where everyone is valued and cared for, with pupils who are kind to each other and positive attitudes to learning. The school has an ambitious, well-structured curriculum and receives a Good rating across all key areas.
At a Glance
17.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
87 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 71% to 90%. Maths has remained stable at around 73%. Writing has improved from 61% to 80%.
Class Sizes
28.0
Avg class size
27.5
Infant (KS1)
31.0
KS2
6
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
97%
Near capacity
230 pupils
236 capacity
6 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Lewes
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Lewes
Admissions Demand - East Sussex
Places available
5,643
Applications
4,708
Got 1st preference
91.2%
Got preferred school
98.0%
Primary admissions across East Sussex (2025/26)
Inspection History(7)
House Prices
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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.
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.
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.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.30021%
Overall absence
11.47541%
Persistent absence
183
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School
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