West Rise Primary School and Nursery, Eastbourne
West Rise Primary School and Nursery is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Eastbourne. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. It was 99% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- 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 East Sussex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
West Rise Primary School and Nursery in detail
West Rise Primary School and Nursery in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "My name is Louise Muller, and I am the very proud Headteacher of West Rise Primary School.I feel absolutely privileged to be leading the school at this exciting time,working alongside the most amazing, committed, and talented team. I truly believe I have the best job in the world."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 17 November 2026 at 9.30am, an open day on Wednesday 18 November 2026 at 9.30am, an open day on Saturday 21 November 2026 at 10am and an open evening on Monday 23 November 2026 at 5.30pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in East Sussex
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at West Rise Primary School and Nursery
For September 2026 entry, 64 families put West Rise Primary School and Nursery as their first choice and 145 named it as one of their preferences, for 67 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 West Rise Primary School and Nursery
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to West Rise Primary School and Nursery are Langney Primary Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 63% reading, 72% maths); Shinewater Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 70% reading, 68% maths); Tollgate Community Junior School (0.9 miles, 71% reading, 76% maths); and Heron Park Primary Academy (0.9 miles, Good, 55% reading, 48% maths).
Langney Primary AcademyShinewater Primary SchoolTollgate Community Junior SchoolHeron Park Primary Academy
What parents say
44 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about West Rise Primary School and Nursery (as of September 2025): 93% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 75% 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 deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).
Who goes there
8.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 189 pupils (31.1%) received SEN support and 14 (2.3%) 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 Hampden Park (Sussex) Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Chaffinch Road (adjacent), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 233 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, West Rise Primary School and Nursery issued 19 suspensions, 7.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to West Rise Primary School and Nursery are St Catherine's College (0.7 miles), The Turing School (0.7 miles) and The Eastbourne Academy (1.5 miles).
St Catherine's CollegeThe Turing SchoolThe Eastbourne Academy
Sources: 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
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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from July 2015, 11 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 January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Your child will enter a warm, welcoming school where kindness and positive behaviour are celebrated. The school excels at teaching early reading and writing through expert phonics instruction and careful support tailored to each child's needs. Beyond academics, the school nurtures confident, independent learners who understand the value of well-being, respect for differences, and making positive contributions to their community.
Key Strengths
- Excellent phonics teaching and promotion of a love of reading from Reception onwards
- Strong teaching of writing skills with pupils producing high-quality work for their age
- Well-identified needs for pupils with SEND, with bespoke support helping them integrate successfully into lessons
- Ambitious, logically sequenced curriculum with clear aims for key stage 1
- Outstanding promotion of pupils' wider development, well-being and personal character
Areas for Improvement
- Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to revisit and practise important knowledge in subjects other than English and mathematics, leading to some forgotten learning
- Teaching in some subjects needs to provide more opportunities for pupils to rehearse key content so they remember what they have been taught
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
gymnastics, dance, school council, special visitors and events
West Rise Community Infant School provides a nurturing, supportive environment where pupils thrive and develop positive attitudes to learning. The school has maintained good standards since its last inspection with an ambitious curriculum and strong focus on reading and writing.
At a Glance
32.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
44 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
29.2
Avg class size
28.3
Infant (KS1)
29.7
KS2
18
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with West Rise Primary School and Nursery
Term dates
West Rise Primary School and Nursery is a community school, so its term dates are set by East Sussex. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to West Rise Primary School and Nursery from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. West Rise Primary School and Nursery is in East Sussex; for families living there:
Apply to East 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
- 31
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 31 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 10 serious and 20 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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 East Sussex is 8 (the median across 221 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 West Rise Primary School and Nursery
Will you get a place at West Rise Primary School and Nursery? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against West Rise Primary School and Nursery's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for West Rise Primary School and Nursery:
- The straight-line distance from your home to West Rise Primary School and Nursery.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from East Sussex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at West Rise Primary School and Nursery for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in East 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
99%
Near capacity
621 pupils
630 places
9 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Eastbourne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Eastbourne
Across East Sussex council
Places available
5,501
Applications
4,559
Got 1st preference
91.1%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All primary applications across East Sussex council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
189
SEN Support
14
EHC Plans
33.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
607
Total Pupils
316
Boys
291
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
32
Teachers
19.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,700
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,735
Per pupil
£1774k
Total funding
£94k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.5%
Overall absence
20.9%
Persistent absence
540
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
West Rise Primary School and Nursery
Questions parents ask about West Rise Primary School and Nursery
What is West Rise Primary School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?
West Rise Primary School and Nursery's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for West Rise Primary School and Nursery?
No fixed boundary. When West Rise Primary School and Nursery is oversubscribed, East Sussex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at West Rise Primary School and Nursery?
West Rise Primary School and Nursery was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at West Rise Primary School and Nursery?
Classes at West Rise Primary School and Nursery average 29.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to West Rise Primary School and Nursery?
West Rise Primary School and Nursery has around 607 pupils on roll. 32% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at West Rise Primary School and Nursery?
6.5% of sessions were missed at West Rise Primary School and Nursery in 2024/25. 20.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to West Rise Primary School and Nursery?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming West Rise Primary School and Nursery 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.
What are West Rise Primary School and Nursery's term dates?
West Rise Primary School and Nursery is a community school, so its term dates are set by East Sussex. In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near West Rise Primary School and Nursery?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 31 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 10 serious and 20 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 East Sussex is 8 (the median across 221 schools, same distance and years).
Where is West Rise Primary School and Nursery?
West Rise Primary School and Nursery is at Chaffinch Road, Langney, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 7SL.
Sources: East Sussex term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)