St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean, Brighton
St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Brighton. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 11th-highest of the 36 schools in Brighton with published results, and 7,353rd of 14,452 across England. It was 81% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Brighton and Hove (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean in detail
St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am so proud to be the Headteacher at St. Margaret’s where I hope your child will have many happy years with us."
The school runs a breakfast club, from £3.50 per session.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils at St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean reached the expected standard in reading and 81% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 69% in Brighton and Hove and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (75% in reading, 75% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean
For September 2026 entry, 26 families put St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean as their first choice and 118 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 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 St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean are Our Lady of Lourdes RC School (0.2 miles, Good, 74% reading, 52% maths); Saltdean Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 70% reading, 62% maths); Rudyard Kipling Primary School & Nursery (1.8 miles, Good, 67% reading, 61% maths); and Telscombe Cliffs Academy (2 miles, 69% reading, 70% maths).
St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Our Lady of Lourdes RC SchoolSaltdean Primary SchoolRudyard Kipling Primary School & NurseryTelscombe Cliffs Academy
What parents say
90 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean (as of September 2025): 96% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 83% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (98%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (82%).
Who goes there
15.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 4.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (79%), Mixed (6%) and Black (6%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Southease - Piddinghoe Road, about 3.6 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Pond (opposite), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 48 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Brighton and Hove (366).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean issued 4 suspensions, 2.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2016, 10 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Margaret's creates an exciting, adventurous learning environment where children feel genuinely valued and supported. The school excels at teaching reading and phonics, and has built a warm, inclusive culture where pupils with additional needs thrive alongside their peers. Strong leadership and outdoor provision help develop confident, collaborative learners.
Key Strengths
- Excellent outdoor learning environment that develops physical skills, teamwork and risk assessment
- Strong phonics teaching and reading support, with pupils achieving positive outcomes
- Supportive and inclusive culture with quick identification and effective support for pupils with SEND
- Well-sequenced curriculum in most subjects with pupils applying learning across different areas
- Strong leadership and professional development culture where staff are proud to work
Areas for Improvement
- Some learning activities are not well matched to what pupils already know, limiting how well they build their knowledge
- Tasks sometimes require knowledge pupils have not learned securely yet
- Need to ensure activities align more closely with curriculum aims and build effectively on prior learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with strong relationships between staff and families contributing to pupils feeling safe and valued.
Extracurricular Activities
Gardening club, sensory garden time, outdoor days including beach trips with lifesaving skills, pupil council, eco-council, library visits, leadership roles, reception volunteer work
St Margaret's CofE Primary School in Rottingdean has maintained good standards following its previous inspection. The school provides a warm, nurturing environment with high academic ambitions and strong support for all pupils' wellbeing.
At a Glance
15.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
90 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 remained stable at around 73% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 75% to 81% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 79% to 88% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.6
Avg class size
24.7
Infant (KS1)
24.5
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean
Newsletter 25th September 2026
1 Oct 2026
Make a difference day with Brighton College
1 Oct 2026
New school council
1 Oct 2026
Newsletter 11th September 2026
24 Sep 2026
St M’s brand new outdoor gym
24 Sep 2026
Year 5 trip to Herstmonceux
24 Sep 2026
From St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean.
- C.A.T.S CLUB at St Margaret'sAt the school · Not yet graded
- C.A.T.S Club @ Our Lady of Lourdes RC School200m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean is in Brighton and Hove; for families living there:
Apply to Brighton and Hove for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 6 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
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 Brighton and Hove is 40.5 (the median across 82 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 Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean
Will you get a place at St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean.
- Brighton and Hove publishes last distance offered figures, but none for St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Brighton and Hove 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
81%
Available places
171 pupils
210 places
39 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Brighton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Brighton
Across Brighton and Hove council
Places available
2,430
Applications
1,936
Got 1st preference
93.8%
Got preferred school
99.4%
All primary applications across Brighton and Hove council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
28
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
21.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
172
Total Pupils
83
Boys
89
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
17.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,140
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,496
Per pupil
£1047k
Total funding
£36k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.3%
Overall absence
22.0%
Persistent absence
168
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 Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean
Questions parents ask about St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean
What are SATs results like at St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean?
Of the pupils at St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 73% reached the expected standard in reading and 81% did so in maths.
What is St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean's Ofsted rating?
St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean?
No fixed boundary. When St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean is oversubscribed, Brighton and Hove allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean?
St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean was not full in 2025: it ran at 81% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean?
Classes at St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean average 24.6 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean?
St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean has around 172 pupils on roll. 15% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean?
7.3% of sessions were missed at St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean in 2024/25. 22% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean?
Apply through Brighton and Hove's coordinated admissions process, naming St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean 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.
Does St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: C.A.T.S CLUB at St Margaret's (registered, not yet graded). There is another within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 6 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 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 Brighton and Hove is 40.5 (the median across 82 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean?
St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean is at Whiteway Lane, Rottingdean, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 7HB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)