St Michael's Primary School, Hartfield

Ofsted's report card from its 10 March 2026 inspection grades St Michael's Primary School on 7 areas: 6 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils' national test results are broadly in line with national figures, though outcomes do fluctuate due to very small cohorts."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The previous inspection identified that the school's curriculum needed further development."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children get off to a great start in the Reception year."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have responded appropriately to the increase in the number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have worked effectively to address the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Pupils' personal development and wellbeing is shaped by a well structured personal, social and health education (PHSE) curriculum."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "In recent years, pupils' attendance has consistently been lower than the national average."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to prioritise pupils' attendance and strengthen their strategies, including thorough analysis of patterns and trends, to improve attendance and reduce persistent absence"; "Leaders should ensure that handwriting is taught consistently well across all year groups and that staff provide pupils with feedback that helps them correct errors in their work, including spelling and letter formation, so that mistakes do not persist"; "Leaders should strengthen their approach to monitoring the curriculum so that all subject curriculums are checked with equal rigour and leaders have an astute understanding of the quality of provision across all subjects".

In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils at St Michael's Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 71% 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 100% in reading and 56% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 6 families put St Michael's Primary School as their first choice and 12 named it as one of their preferences, for 6 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to St Michael's Primary School are St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 63% reading, 63% maths); Groombridge St Thomas' Church of England Primary School (2 miles, Good, 84% reading, 79% maths); St John's Church of England Primary School (2.7 miles, Good, 79% reading, 83% maths); and Fordcombe Church of England Primary School (3.1 miles, Good, 77% reading, 69% maths).

St Michael's Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

42 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Michael's Primary School (as of April 2026): 95% would recommend the school, 88% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).

5.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% 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 (8%).

In 2026, 15 pupils (20.3%) received SEN support and 7 (9.5%) 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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

St Michael's Primary School had 7 teachers in 2026, one for every 10 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Ashurst (Kent) Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.

2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Station Road (adjacent), 320 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes within a mile of the school, most often vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65).

St Michael's Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.