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Three Bridges Primary School, Crawley

Requires Improvement
Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 3–11

Three Bridges Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Crawley. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 16th-highest of the 23 schools in Crawley with published results, and 9,982nd of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.

SATs results
Below England average
Ofsted
Requires improvement (2024)
Demand
Every first choice offered
Attendance
Below England average
New inspections, open days and news, by email.

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

Three Bridges Primary School in detail

Three Bridges Primary School in its own words

In its own words: "As a school community, we share the responsibility of ensuring that the children in our care are happy, resilient, successful individuals who are fully prepared to meet the challenges of an ever changing world."

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care, from £5 per session.

Coming up: an open day on Thursday 15 July 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

All school open days in West Sussex

Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)

Source: The school's own website

Results

In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at Three Bridges Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 65% 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 49% in maths in 2024.

Getting a place at Three Bridges Primary School

For September 2026 entry, 47 families put Three Bridges Primary School as their first choice and 134 named it as one of their preferences, for 50 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 Three Bridges Primary School

Compared with nearby schools

The nearest other state primary schools to Three Bridges Primary School are Northgate Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 61% reading, 66% maths); Pound Hill Junior School, Crawley (0.7 miles, Good, 89% reading, 88% maths); Pound Hill Infant Academy (0.7 miles, Outstanding); and St Andrew's CofE Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 72% reading, 52% maths).

Three Bridges Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.

Northgate Primary SchoolPound Hill Junior School, CrawleyPound Hill Infant AcademySt Andrew's CofE Primary School

Who goes there

44.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (33%), White British (32%) and Mixed (8%).

Three Bridges Primary School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs: 21 places, 17 pupils on roll.

Getting there

The nearest railway station is Three Bridges Rail Station, about 550 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is North Road (before), 130 metres away.

The area around the school

In August 2026, police recorded 481 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. 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, Three Bridges Primary School issued 45 suspensions, 6.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

Secondary schools nearby

The secondary schools closest to Three Bridges Primary School are Hazelwick School (0.5 miles), Oriel High School (1 mile), The Gatwick School (1.4 miles) and Thomas Bennett Community College (1.6 miles).

Hazelwick SchoolOriel High SchoolThe Gatwick SchoolThomas 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 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 GIAS
Head:Mrs Trudy Emberson
Pupils:600
LA:West Sussex
Phone:01293524076
Address:Gales Place, Three Bridges, Crawley, RH10 1QG
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 2 years ago
Requires Improvement

Overall

Requires Improvement

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Requires Improvement

Early Years

Inspected 14 May 2024View full report
URN:125901
UKPRN:10077187
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Crawley
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

Ofsted rated this school Requires Improvement at its May 2024 inspection.

Rated Good for

Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.

Areas Ofsted flagged

Quality of education (Requires Improvement), Early years (Requires Improvement).

At a Glance

21.2%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

Resourced provision: Speech and language

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2024/25

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+12ppMaths+16ppWriting+4pp

Reading has improved from 65% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 49% to 65% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 53% to 57% (2024 to 2025).

Class Sizes

26.1

Avg class size

25.2

Infant (KS1)

28.3

KS2

23

Total classes

2025/26 academic year

How Does This School Compare?

Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools

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Keep up with Three Bridges Primary School

Before and after school care

Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Three Bridges Primary School.

  • Fcl Crawley780m away · Not yet graded

Term dates

Three Bridges Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by West Sussex. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.

2026 to 2027

  • Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
  • Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
  • Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)

Source: West Sussex term dates

Getting There

Train Stations

Three Bridges Rail Station (main entrance)
553m · 9 min walk

Bus Stops

North Road (before)
133m · 2 min walk
Crossways (opp)
218m · 4 min walk
Crossways Close (opp)
247m · 4 min walk
Jubilee Walk (opp)
257m · 4 min walk
Artel Croft (opp)
267m · 4 min walk

Free school transport

Check free transport to Three Bridges Primary School from your postcode →

You apply to the council where you live. Three Bridges 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
42
Fatal
0
Serious
16
Children hurt
2

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 42 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 16 serious and 26 slight.

2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.

6 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.

Can you get into this school?
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Commute and house prices

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Your chances of a place at Three Bridges Primary School

Will you get a place at Three Bridges Primary School? Get the admissions report

Your home postcode, set against Three Bridges Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.

What the report includes for Three Bridges Primary School:

  • The straight-line distance from your home to Three Bridges Primary School.
  • West Sussex publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Three Bridges Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
  • Applications, first choices and offers at Three Bridges Primary School 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

97%

Near capacity

609 pupils

630 places

21 spare places in 2025

2025, DfE school capacity data

Area Demand Pressure - Crawley

Low pressure
New homes approved:2,527
Projected new pupils:632

Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Crawley

Across West Sussex council

Low demand council-wide0.85 applications per place

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(6)

14 May 2024
Requires ImprovementReport
Quality of EducationRequires Improvement
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Early YearsRequires Improvement
19 June 2018
16 September 2014
Leadership & ManagementGood

SEND & SEN Provision

SEN Overview

87

SEN Support

30

EHC Plans

19.5%

of Total Pupils

2026 academic year

Provision & Specialist Facilities

Three Bridges Primary School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs: 21 places, 17 pupils on roll.

Source: GIAS, Department for Education.

Resourced Provision

Pupils by Need Type

Speech, Language & Communication75
Social, Emotional & Mental Health19
Moderate Learning Difficulty17
Specific Learning Difficulty2
Autistic Spectrum Disorder2
Severe Learning Difficulty1
Visual Impairment1
EHC Plan
SEN Support

Pupil Demographics

Ethnicity

White British
32.3%
Asian
33.3%
Black
7.5%
Mixed
8.1%
Chinese
0.2%
Other
1.2%
Unclassified
2.5%

2026 academic year

Key Indicators

Free School Meals21.2%
English as Additional Language44.8%

600

Total Pupils

296

Boys

304

Girls

2026 academic year

Workforce

34

Teachers

17.6:1

Pupil-teacher ratio

£49,916

Mean salary

2026 data

School Funding

£5,630

Per pupil

£3811k

Total funding

£186k

Pupil premium

Deprivation£219,192
EAL funding£85,267
Lump sum£145,100

2025-26 financial year allocations

Pupil Absence
2024/25

6.7%

Overall absence

19.9%

Persistent absence

574

Enrolments

Authorised5.4%
Unauthorised1.3%
Persistent (10%+)19.9%
Severe (50%+)1.4%

Absence trend

4.9%
18/19
4.5%
20/21
7.6%
21/22
8.2%
22/23
6.9%
23/24
6.7%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Questions parents ask about Three Bridges Primary School

What are SATs results like at Three Bridges Primary School?

Of the pupils at Three Bridges Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% reached the expected standard in reading and 65% did so in maths.

What is Three Bridges Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Three Bridges Primary School was rated Requires Improvement at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2014 it was rated Good.

What is the catchment area for Three Bridges Primary School?

No fixed boundary. When Three Bridges 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 Three Bridges Primary School?

Three Bridges Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.

How big are the classes at Three Bridges Primary School?

Classes at Three Bridges Primary School average 26.1 pupils (2025/26).

How many pupils go to Three Bridges Primary School?

Three Bridges Primary School has around 600 pupils on roll. 21% are eligible for free school meals.

Does Three Bridges Primary School have specialist SEN provision?

Three Bridges Primary School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs: 21 places, 17 pupils on roll.

What is attendance like at Three Bridges Primary School?

6.7% of sessions were missed at Three Bridges Primary School in 2024/25. 19.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).

How do I apply to Three Bridges Primary School?

Apply through West Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming Three Bridges 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 Three Bridges Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?

Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Three Bridges Primary School: Fcl Crawley (780m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.

What are Three Bridges Primary School's term dates?

Three Bridges Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by West Sussex. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027).

How many road collisions happen near Three Bridges Primary School?

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 42 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 16 serious and 26 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 6 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 Three Bridges Primary School?

Three Bridges Primary School is at Gales Place, Three Bridges, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 1QG.

Sources: West Sussex term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)

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