The Bewbush Academy, Crawley
The Bewbush Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Crawley, part of The Kemnal Academies Trust. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2023. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 14th-highest of the 23 schools in Crawley with published results, and 8,749th of 14,452 across England. It was 77% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2023)
- 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 West Sussex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Bewbush Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils at The Bewbush Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 74% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 72% in West Sussex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 65% in reading and 61% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at The Bewbush Academy
For September 2026 entry, 45 families put The Bewbush Academy as their first choice and 89 named it as one of their preferences, for 48 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Bewbush Academy are Waterfield Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 70% reading, 72% maths); Gossops Green Primary (0.6 miles, Good, 76% reading, 70% maths); Kilnwood Vale Primary School (0.7 miles, Good); and Seymour Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 77% reading, 88% maths).
The Bewbush Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Waterfield Primary SchoolGossops Green PrimaryKilnwood Vale Primary SchoolSeymour Primary School
The trust
The Bewbush Academy is one of 45 schools run by The Kemnal Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 71% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
46 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Bewbush Academy (as of September 2025): 80% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
34.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 44.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (37%), Asian (18%) and Black (16%).
In 2026, 37 pupils (8.1%) received SEN support and 10 (2.2%) 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 Ifield Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Dorsten Square (at), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 293 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in West Sussex (103), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Bewbush Academy issued 12 suspensions, 2.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Bewbush Academy are Holy Trinity CofE Secondary School, Crawley (0.6 miles); St Wilfrid's Catholic Comprehensive School, Crawley (0.9 miles); Ifield Community College (1.2 miles); and Thomas Bennett Community College (1.4 miles).
Holy Trinity CofE Secondary School, CrawleySt Wilfrid's Catholic Comprehensive School, CrawleyIfield Community CollegeThomas Bennett Community College
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
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Bewbush Academy creates a welcoming, inclusive environment where all children feel valued and supported. Staff prioritise both academic learning and personal development, helping pupils understand safety, health, diversity and their place in the wider world. The school has made impressive improvements since its last inspection and continues to raise its ambitions for every child.
Key Strengths
- Exceptionally strong pastoral support creates a nurturing environment where pupils feel safe and cared for
- Outstanding early years provision with language-rich environment that prepares children well for Year 1
- Effective reading programme with highly trained phonics teachers and strong support for struggling readers
- Clear and well-sequenced curriculum that helps pupils build on previous knowledge
- Excellent approach to personal development teaching pupils about safety, health, mental wellbeing and British values
Areas for Improvement
- A small number of foundation subjects lack fully developed curriculum design, with learning tasks not sharply focused on the most important content
- Mathematics attainment at key stage 2 was below the national average in 2024, though the school is taking steps to address this
- Inconsistent quality of implementation across some subjects leading to gaps in pupils' knowledge
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating a positive culture that prioritises pupils' interests.
Extracurricular Activities
Young interpreters, safeguarding ambassadors, lunchtime helpers, community action initiatives including litter picking and fundraising, before- and after-school club
The Bewbush Academy is a primary school that has made significant improvements since its previous inspection. It now provides a good quality of education with outstanding early years provision and personal development opportunities.
At a Glance
34.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
46 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 65% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 61% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 80% to 85% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.3
Avg class size
24.8
Infant (KS1)
24.1
KS2
15
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The Bewbush Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Bewbush Academy.
- The Outdoors Project After School Club At Waterfield Primary School630m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
The Bewbush Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see West Sussex's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Bewbush Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Bewbush Academy is in West Sussex; for families living there:
Apply to West 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
- 23
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 20 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
1 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 West Sussex is 11 (the median across 337 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 The Bewbush Academy
Will you get a place at The Bewbush Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Bewbush Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Bewbush Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Bewbush Academy.
- West Sussex publishes last distance offered figures, but none for The Bewbush Academy that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Bewbush Academy for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in West 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
77%
Available places
484 pupils
630 places
146 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Crawley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Crawley
Across West Sussex council
Places available
9,608
Applications
8,127
Got 1st preference
92.4%
Got preferred school
99.2%
All primary applications across West Sussex council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
37
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
10.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
459
Total Pupils
236
Boys
223
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
26
Teachers
17.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,608
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,595
Per pupil
£3065k
Total funding
£218k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.1%
Overall absence
16.4%
Persistent absence
457
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
Questions parents ask about The Bewbush Academy
What are SATs results like at The Bewbush Academy?
Of the pupils at The Bewbush Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 74% reached the expected standard in reading and 74% did so in maths.
What is The Bewbush Academy's Ofsted rating?
The Bewbush Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2023, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for The Bewbush Academy?
No fixed boundary. When The Bewbush Academy is oversubscribed, West Sussex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Bewbush Academy?
The Bewbush Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 77% of its 630 places.
How big are the classes at The Bewbush Academy?
Classes at The Bewbush Academy average 24.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Bewbush Academy?
The Bewbush Academy has around 459 pupils on roll. 35% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Bewbush Academy?
6.1% of sessions were missed at The Bewbush Academy in 2024/25. 16.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Bewbush Academy?
Apply through West Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming The Bewbush 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.
Does The Bewbush Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of The Bewbush Academy: The Outdoors Project After School Club At Waterfield Primary School (630m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near The Bewbush Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 20 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 1 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 West Sussex is 11 (the median across 337 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Bewbush Academy?
The Bewbush Academy is at Dorsten Place, Bewbush, Crawley, West Sussex, RH11 8XW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)