St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy, St Leonards-on-Sea
St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in St Leonards-on-Sea, part of Diocese of Chichester Academy Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2021. That was 5 years ago, so the rating may not reflect the school today. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 7 schools in St Leonards-on-Sea with published results, and 7,353rd of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2021)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- 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
St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy in detail
St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy in its own words
Coming up: an admissions event on Monday 9 November 2026 at 10am and an admissions event on Friday 13 November 2026 at 10am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in East Sussex
Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils at St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 81% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 72% in East Sussex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 81% in reading and 85% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 60 families put St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy as their first choice and 105 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy are Mulberry West St Leonards Primary (0.5 miles, Good, 72% reading, 72% maths); Christ Church CofE Primary and Nursery Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 68% reading, 63% maths); St Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School (0.9 miles); and St Paul's Church of England Academy (1.1 miles, Good, 84% reading, 80% maths).
St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Mulberry West St Leonards PrimaryChrist Church CofE Primary and Nursery AcademySt Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary SchoolSt Paul's Church of England Academy
The trust
St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy is one of 28 schools run by Diocese of Chichester Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
90 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy (as of April 2026): 89% would recommend the school, 90% say their child is happy there and 29% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (90%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (29%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 50 pupils (12.5%) received SEN support and 8 (2%) 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 West St Leonards Rail Station, about 320 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Eversfield Hospital (opposite), 230 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 326 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy issued 23 suspensions, 5.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy are Mulberry Academy St Leonards (0.4 miles) and Lansdowne Children's Centre (0.7 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 11 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Leonards is an inclusive, caring school where children feel they belong and are happy to learn. The school excels at supporting disadvantaged pupils and those with additional needs, helping them achieve well and prepare for their futures. Staff create a warm, nurturing environment where good behaviour and kindness are the norm, and pupils develop strong friendships.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve well with strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics, particularly disadvantaged pupils compared to national averages
- Effective early years provision with excellent transitions and focus on vocabulary and oracy skills
- Highly inclusive school with clear commitment to supporting all pupils, including those with special educational needs
- Well-designed curriculum that meets pupils' needs and is taught by staff with secure subject knowledge
- Strong positive behaviour and relationships throughout the school with a caring, nurturing environment
Areas for Improvement
- Attendance rates are not high enough, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities
- Teaching of handwriting, spelling, punctuation and grammar is not consistently effective across the school
- Some pupils' written work shows weaker handwriting, spelling, punctuation and grammar skills
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are met and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Opera, drama, performing arts, outdoor learning, physical education, sensory circuits, assemblies celebrating different cultures, links to a school in Sierra Leone
St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy is a well-led, inclusive school where most pupils achieve well and feel safe. The school has strong early years provision and effectively supports disadvantaged pupils, though attendance rates need improvement.
At a Glance
31.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
90 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 81% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 85% to 81% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 81% to 73% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.6
Avg class size
28.8
Infant (KS1)
28.4
KS2
14
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy
May 26 Newsletter
1 May 2026
March 26 Newsletter
13 Mar 2026
February 26 Newsletter
13 Feb 2026
January 26 Newsletter
23 Jan 2026
December Newsletter
19 Dec 2025
November Newsletter (2)
28 Nov 2025
From St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy
Term dates
St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see East Sussex's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy 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
- 18
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 11 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
2 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 St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy
Will you get a place at St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from East Sussex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy for 2015 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
415 pupils
420 places
5 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - St Leonards-on-Sea
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for St Leonards-on-Sea
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
50
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
14.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
400
Total Pupils
185
Boys
215
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
17.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,466
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,606
Per pupil
£2645k
Total funding
£220k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.1%
Overall absence
16.3%
Persistent absence
367
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
St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy
Questions parents ask about St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy
What are SATs results like at St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy?
Of the pupils at St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 73% reached the expected standard in reading and 81% did so in maths.
What is St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?
St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2025, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2021, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy 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 St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy?
St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy?
Classes at St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy average 28.6 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy?
St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy has around 400 pupils on roll. 32% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy?
6.1% of sessions were missed at St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy in 2024/25. 16.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming St Leonards Church of England Primary 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.
How many road collisions happen near St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 11 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 2 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 St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy?
St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy is at Collinswood Drive, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN38 0NX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)