The March CofE Primary School, Chichester
The March CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Chichester, 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 March 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 11th-highest of the 23 schools in Chichester with published results, and 8,234th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.2 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to West Sussex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The March CofE Primary School in detail
The March CofE Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "Welcome to The March CE Primary school. Here you will find various information about the school."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to The March CE Primary School. We are an inclusive and nurturing Christian community where every child is supported to achieve their God‑given potential. Our values of Love, Peace, Faith, Compassion and Forgiveness sit at the heart of our work."
The school runs after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 11 November 2026 at 1.30pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in West Sussex
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils at The March CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 70% 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 73% in reading and 63% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at The March CofE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 36 families put The March CofE Primary School as their first choice and 95 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 9 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at The March CofE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The March CofE Primary School are Portfield Primary Academy (1 mile, Good, 47% reading, 53% maths); Rumboldswhyke CofE Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 41% reading, 24% maths); Tangmere Primary Academy (1.6 miles, Good, 73% reading, 73% maths); and St. Joseph's Infant School (1.7 miles).
The March CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Portfield Primary AcademyRumboldswhyke CofE Primary SchoolTangmere Primary AcademySt. Joseph's Infant School
The trust
The March CofE Primary School 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.
Who goes there
7.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 7.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chichester Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is School (outside), 30 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The March CofE Primary School issued 7 suspensions, 3.5 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; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
7.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 73% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 63% to 70% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 27% to 77% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.8
Avg class size
30.5
Infant (KS1)
29.0
KS2
4
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The March CofE Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The March CofE Primary School.
- JC Sports March CE Primary School Wrap Around ClubAt the school · Not yet graded
- JC Sports Holiday Camp at The March Primary SchoolAt the school · Not yet graded
Term dates
The March CofE Primary School 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 March CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The March CofE Primary School 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
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 6 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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 March CofE Primary School
Will you get a place at The March CofE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The March CofE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The March CofE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The March CofE Primary School.
- West Sussex publishes last distance offered figures, but none for The March CofE Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The March CofE Primary School for 2019 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
101%
Over capacity
210 pupils
209 places
1 pupil over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Chichester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Chichester
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
33
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
21.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
208
Total Pupils
107
Boys
101
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
17.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£44,497
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,052
Per pupil
£1153k
Total funding
£33k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.9%
Overall absence
17.4%
Persistent absence
190
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
The March CofE Primary School
Questions parents ask about The March CofE Primary School
What are SATs results like at The March CofE Primary School?
Of the pupils at The March CofE Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 80% reached the expected standard in reading and 70% did so in maths.
What is The March CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
The March CofE Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2023.
What is the catchment area for The March CofE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When The March CofE Primary School 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 March CofE Primary School?
The March CofE Primary School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at The March CofE Primary School?
Classes at The March CofE Primary School average 29.8 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to The March CofE Primary School?
The March CofE Primary School has around 208 pupils on roll. 8% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The March CofE Primary School?
5.9% of sessions were missed at The March CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 17.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The March CofE Primary School?
Apply through West Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming The March CofE Primary 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.
Does The March CofE Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs at the school: JC Sports March CE Primary School Wrap Around Club (registered, not yet graded) and JC Sports Holiday Camp at The March Primary School (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 March CofE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 6 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 March CofE Primary School?
The March CofE Primary School is at Claypit Lane, Westhampnett, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0NU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)