Willingdon Primary School, Eastbourne
Willingdon Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Eastbourne. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 14 schools in Eastbourne with published results, and 7,842nd of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- 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 East Sussex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Willingdon Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at Willingdon Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 72% in East Sussex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 64% in reading and 69% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Willingdon Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 44 families put Willingdon Primary School as their first choice and 109 named it as one of their preferences, for 47 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 Willingdon Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Willingdon Primary School are Oakwood Primary Academy (1.1 miles, Good, 68% reading, 64% maths); Polegate Primary School (1.2 miles, Outstanding, 77% reading, 73% maths); Parkland Junior School (1.4 miles, Good, 79% reading, 76% maths); and Parkland Infant School (1.4 miles, Good).
Willingdon Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Oakwood Primary AcademyPolegate Primary SchoolParkland Junior SchoolParkland Infant School
Who goes there
4.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 48 pupils (11.4%) received SEN support and 27 (6.4%) 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 autism.
Willingdon Primary School has a resourced provision for hearing impairment: 11 places, 11 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Polegate Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Willingdon Community School (outside), 260 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Willingdon Primary School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Willingdon Primary School issued 5 suspensions, 1.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Willingdon Primary School are Willingdon Community School (0.2 miles), The Eastbourne Academy (1.3 miles) and Ratton School (1.4 miles).
Willingdon Community SchoolThe Eastbourne AcademyRatton School
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 GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
17.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Hearing
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 64% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 69% to 75% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 77% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.1
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
30.1
KS2
11
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 Willingdon Primary School
Term dates
Willingdon Primary School 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 Willingdon Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Willingdon Primary School 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
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 6 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
3 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 Willingdon Primary School
Will you get a place at Willingdon Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Willingdon Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Willingdon Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Willingdon Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from East Sussex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Willingdon Primary School 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
101%
Over capacity
422 pupils
420 places
2 pupils over capacity 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(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
48
SEN Support
27
EHC Plans
17.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Willingdon Primary School has a resourced provision for hearing impairment: 11 places, 11 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
421
Total Pupils
224
Boys
197
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
24
Teachers
17.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,954
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,073
Per pupil
£2329k
Total funding
£91k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.1%
Overall absence
15.7%
Persistent absence
370
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
Willingdon Primary School
Questions parents ask about Willingdon Primary School
What are SATs results like at Willingdon Primary School?
Of the pupils at Willingdon Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% reached the expected standard in reading and 75% did so in maths.
What is Willingdon Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Willingdon Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2021 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Willingdon Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Willingdon Primary School 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 Willingdon Primary School?
Willingdon 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 Willingdon Primary School?
Classes at Willingdon Primary School average 30.1 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 Willingdon Primary School?
Willingdon Primary School has around 421 pupils on roll. 17% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Willingdon Primary School have specialist SEN provision?
Willingdon Primary School has a resourced provision for hearing impairment: 11 places, 11 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Willingdon Primary School?
6.1% of sessions were missed at Willingdon Primary School in 2024/25. 15.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Willingdon Primary School?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming Willingdon 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.
What are Willingdon Primary School's term dates?
Willingdon Primary School 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 Willingdon Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 6 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 3 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 Willingdon Primary School?
Willingdon Primary School is at Rapsons Road, Willingdon, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 9RJ.
Sources: East Sussex term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)