South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School, Lewes
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Lewes. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 13 schools in Lewes with published results, and 5,071st of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- 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 East Sussex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School in detail
Results
In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School reached the expected standard in reading and 73% 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 71% in reading and 71% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School
For September 2026 entry, 16 families put South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School as their first choice and 37 named it as one of their preferences, for 17 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 South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School are Southover CofE Primary School (1 mile, Good, 77% reading, 60% maths); Western Road Community Primary School (1 mile, Good, 90% reading, 77% maths); Wallands Community Primary and Nursery School (1.1 miles, Good, 65% reading, 67% maths); and Hamsey Community Primary School (2 miles, Good, 90% reading, 80% maths).
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Southover CofE Primary SchoolWestern Road Community Primary SchoolWallands Community Primary and Nursery SchoolHamsey Community Primary School
What parents say
87 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School (as of September 2025): 98% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 62% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (62%).
Who goes there
16.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 4.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (85%) and Mixed (7%).
In 2026, 22 pupils (9.6%) received SEN support and 4 (1.7%) 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 Lewes Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Church Lane (opposite), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 114 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from December 2011, 14 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 May 2025 inspection report.
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
16.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
87 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 improved from 71% to 90% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 73% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 61% to 80% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.6
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
30.0
KS2
8
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School
Term dates
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by East Sussex. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School 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
- 6
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 0 serious and 5 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School
Will you get a place at South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from East Sussex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School 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
99%
Near capacity
208 pupils
210 places
2 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Lewes
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Lewes
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(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
22
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
11.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
230
Total Pupils
106
Boys
124
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
19.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,837
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,346
Per pupil
£1219k
Total funding
£55k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.3%
Overall absence
11.5%
Persistent absence
183
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
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School
Questions parents ask about South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School
What are SATs results like at South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School?
Of the pupils at South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 90% reached the expected standard in reading and 73% did so in maths.
What is South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School 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 South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School?
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School?
Classes at South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School average 28.6 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School?
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School has around 230 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School?
5.3% of sessions were missed at South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School in 2024/25. 11.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School 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.
What are South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School's term dates?
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by East Sussex. In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 0 serious and 5 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School?
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School is at Church Lane, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2HS.
Sources: East Sussex term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)