Grovelands Community Primary School

Academy · Primary, ages 2 to 11 · Mixed · Nursery class

Part of WANDLE LEARNING TRUST

Dunbar Drive, Hailsham, BN27 3UW

01323 840062 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 4 February 2020, before conversion; confirmed 2025
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths54%England 62% · 2024/25
5th highest of 6 state primary schools in Hailsham.
Higher than 24% of 14,185 state primary schools in England.
Pupils694Room for 630 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 704 in 2019, 708 in 2021, 700 in 2022, 697 in 2023, 699 in 2024, 700 in 2025, 694 in 2026. Across England, primary state school pupil numbers were down 4% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place1.2105 for 90 places, September 2026
1st highest of 8 state primary schools in Hailsham.
Higher than 88% of 15,826 state primary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 4 February 2020. This inspection was of the school before it changed to its current form (for example, before becoming an academy).

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 managementGood
Early yearsGood
SafeguardingEffective

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 4 June 2025: Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

84 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.

Hailsham comparisons use the 4 of its 7 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 3 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 schoolHailshamEngland
My child is happy at this school
1st highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Hailsham.
Higher than 16% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
87% 84% 89%
My child feels safe at this school
1st highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Hailsham.
Higher than 19% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
89% 84% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved
1st highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Hailsham.
Higher than 29% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
85% 81% 84%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 29 parents whose child had been bullied
2nd highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Hailsham.
Higher than 34% of 6,022 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
48% 46% 51%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 59 parents who had raised a concern
2nd highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Hailsham.
Higher than 27% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
75% 71% 76%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 25 parents of children with SEND
1st highest of 3 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Hailsham.
Higher than 39% of 2,087 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
68% 59% 68%
I would recommend this school to another parent
1st highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Hailsham.
Higher than 38% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
88%said yes 83% 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 12%). 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. Hailsham figures pool parents at the Hailsham 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

89 pupils in this year group.

These results were published under the school's previous registration (URN 114393), before it changed to its current form.

54% — 7 points below the East Sussex average, and 8 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolEast SussexEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 54% 61% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 2% 6% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 66% 74% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 67% 72% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 64% 71% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 104 105 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 103 104 105
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
40% 50% 60% 70% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2022/23: 51%This school 2023/24: 50%This school 2024/25: 54% This school England 62% 2022/23 51% 2023/24 50% 2024/25 54%

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 1 first-choice applications for every place.

Places offered90
Families who put it first105
Of those, offered a place87 (83%)
Families who listed it at all177

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.0 · 2025: 1.2 · 2026: 1.2

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.

Admissions dates and schools in East Sussex

Pupils, staff and SEND

Specialist SEND provision: this school has resourced provision with 17 places for autism. These places are usually allocated through the council's SEND team.

PupilsThis schoolEast SussexEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
4th highest of 7 state primary schools in Hailsham.
Higher than 60% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
26.3% 25.4%* 26.3%
With an education, health and care plan
2nd highest of 7 state primary schools in Hailsham.
Higher than 53% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
3.1% 2.1%* 3.5%
Receiving special educational needs support
2nd highest of 7 state primary schools in Hailsham.
Higher than 77% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
19.0% 16.2%* 15.0%
English as an additional language
3rd highest of 7 state primary schools in Hailsham.
Higher than 29% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
4.1% 9.3%* 23.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
3rd lowest of 7 state primary schools in Hailsham.
Lower than 20% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
6.2% 5.7%* 5.2%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
1st lowest of 7 state primary schools in Hailsham.
Lower than 34% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
14.6% 14.4%* 13.0%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
Joint 1st lowest of 7 state primary schools in Hailsham.
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 7 state primary schools in Hailsham.
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
2nd highest of 7 state primary schools in Hailsham.
Higher than 41% of 16,642 state primary schools in England.
19.9 20.5 20.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
4th highest of 7 state primary schools in Hailsham.
Higher than 42% of 16,653 state primary schools in England.
10.3 10.9 10.6
Teachers who left during the year
5th highest of 6 state primary schools in Hailsham.
Higher than 20% of 15,063 state primary schools in England.
4.1% 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.

SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).

Nearby primary schools

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

Questions parents ask

What is Grovelands Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Grovelands Community Primary School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 4 February 2020. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 4 June 2025, Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.

How did Grovelands Community Primary School do in its SATs?

In 2024/25, 54% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 8 points below the England average of 62%.

Would parents recommend Grovelands Community Primary School?

88% of the 84 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend Grovelands Community Primary School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Is Grovelands Community Primary School oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 105 families put Grovelands Community Primary School as their first choice for 90 places: about 1 first-choice applications for every place. 87 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.