Forest Row CofE Primary School and Nursery

Voluntary controlled school · Primary, ages 4 to 11 · Mixed · Church of England · Nursery class

Forest Row CE Primary School, School Lane, Hartfield Road, Forest Row, RH18 5EB

01342 823380 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 19 March 2024
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths50%England 62% · 2024/25
Joint 103rd highest of 131 state primary schools in East Sussex.
Higher than 17% of 14,185 state primary schools in England.
Pupils199Room for 210 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 188 in 2019, 164 in 2021, 167 in 2022, 162 in 2023, 165 in 2024, 181 in 2025, 199 in 2026. Across England, primary state school pupil numbers were down 4% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place1.133 for 30 places, September 2026
Joint 29th highest of 142 state primary schools in East Sussex.
Higher than 85% of 15,826 state primary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 19 March 2024.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementOutstanding
Early yearsGood
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

22 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025.

East Sussex comparisons use the 88 of its 144 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 56 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.

StatementThis schoolEast SussexEngland
My child is happy at this school
Joint 1st highest of 88 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in East Sussex.
Higher than 82% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100% 94% 88%
My child feels safe at this school
Joint 1st highest of 88 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in East Sussex.
Higher than 80% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100% 94% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved
Joint 1st highest of 88 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in East Sussex.
Higher than 90% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100% 89% 84%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 15 parents who had raised a concern
Joint 1st highest of 87 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in East Sussex.
Higher than 95% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100% 84% 76%
I would recommend this school to another parent
Joint 1st highest of 88 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in East Sussex.
Higher than 90% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100%said yes 91% 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. East Sussex figures pool parents at the East Sussex schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

22 pupils in this year group.

50% — 11 points below the East Sussex average, and 12 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolEast SussexEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 50% 61% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 6% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 64% 74% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 64% 72% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 59% 71% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 105 105 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 101 104 105
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
30% 40% 50% 60% 70% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2022/23: 40%This school 2023/24: 64%This school 2024/25: 50% This school England 62% 2022/23 40% 2023/24 64% 2024/25 50%

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in East Sussex. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.

Places offered30
Families who put it first33
Of those, offered a place30 (91%)
Families who listed it at all49

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.0 · 2025: 1.1 · 2026: 1.1

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

This is a Church of England school, but as a voluntary controlled school its admissions are set by the council, which usually doesn't prioritise by faith. Check the council's admissions criteria.

Admissions dates and schools in East Sussex

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolEast SussexEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
60th highest of 144 state primary schools in East Sussex.
Higher than 54% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
23.3% 25.4%* 26.3%
With an education, health and care plan
20th highest of 144 state primary schools in East Sussex.
Higher than 56% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
3.3% 2.1%* 3.5%
Receiving special educational needs support
83rd highest of 144 state primary schools in East Sussex.
Higher than 51% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
14.4% 16.2%* 15.0%
English as an additional language
Joint 71st highest of 144 state primary schools in East Sussex.
Higher than 31% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
4.4% 9.3%* 23.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
Joint 137th lowest of 144 state primary schools in East Sussex.
Lower than 3% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
8.3% 5.7%* 5.2%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
131st lowest of 144 state primary schools in East Sussex.
Lower than 7% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
23.3% 14.4%* 13.0%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
Joint 1st lowest of 144 state primary schools in East Sussex.
Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England.
0.0 2.9 2.5
Pupils suspended at least once
Joint 1st lowest of 144 state primary schools in East Sussex.
Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England.
0.0% 1.2% 1.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.08% 0.03%
Pupils per teacher
Joint 89th highest of 144 state primary schools in East Sussex.
Higher than 34% of 16,642 state primary schools in England.
19.2 20.5 20.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
Joint 92nd highest of 144 state primary schools in East Sussex.
Higher than 39% of 16,653 state primary schools in England.
10.1 10.9 10.6
Teachers who left during the year
Joint 113th highest of 132 state primary schools in East Sussex.
Higher than 0% of 15,063 state primary schools in England.
0.0% 15.0%* 14.4%*

Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

Nearby primary schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Forest Row CofE Primary School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?

Forest Row CofE Primary School and Nursery was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 19 March 2024.

How did Forest Row CofE Primary School and Nursery do in its SATs?

In 2024/25, 50% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 12 points below the England average of 62%.

Would parents recommend Forest Row CofE Primary School and Nursery?

100% of the 22 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025 said they would recommend Forest Row CofE Primary School and Nursery to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Is Forest Row CofE Primary School and Nursery oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 33 families put Forest Row CofE Primary School and Nursery as their first choice for 30 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 30 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.