SchoolScoresHilltop Primary School
Academy · Primary, ages 3 to 11 · Mixed · Nursery class
Part of THE KEMNAL ACADEMIES TRUST
Ditchling Hill, Southgate West, Crawley, RH11 8QL
01293 534314 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 18 June 2014.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 6 March 2024: Ofsted found the school was still Good and may be improving, so its next inspection will be a full graded one.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
45 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025.
Crawley comparisons use the 18 of its 29 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 11 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.
| Statement | This school | Crawley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school 4th highest of 18 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Crawley. Higher than 54% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 96% | 92% | 88% |
| My child feels safe at this school 5th highest of 18 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Crawley. Higher than 52% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 96% | 93% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved Joint 7th highest of 18 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Crawley. Higher than 48% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 91% | 86% | 84% |
| Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 13 parents whose child had been bullied Joint 7th highest of 15 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Crawley. Higher than 47% of 6,022 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 54% | 47% | 50% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 34 parents who had raised a concern 8th highest of 18 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Crawley. Higher than 55% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 85% | 78% | 76% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent Joint 6th highest of 18 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Crawley. Higher than 57% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 93%said yes | 85% | 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. Crawley figures pool parents at the Crawley 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.
Results
Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25
84 pupils in this year group.
79% — 19 points above the West Sussex average, and 17 points above the England average.
| Measure | This school | West Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 79% | 60% | 62% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 8% | 6% | 8% |
| Met the expected standard in reading | 87% | 76% | 75% |
| Met the expected standard in writing | 82% | 71% | 72% |
| Met the expected standard in maths | 86% | 73% | 74% |
| Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 108 | 106 | 106 |
| Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 107 | 104 | 105 |
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 West 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 offered | 85 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 79 |
| Of those, offered a place | 79 (100%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 161 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.9 · 2025: 0.9 · 2026: 0.9
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.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | West Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 8th highest of 29 state primary schools in Crawley. Higher than 60% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 26.7% | 15.8%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 16th highest of 29 state primary schools in Crawley. Higher than 52% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 3.1% | 3.0%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 11th highest of 29 state primary schools in Crawley. Higher than 65% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 16.5% | 14.9%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 18th highest of 29 state primary schools in Crawley. Higher than 74% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 26.0% | 14.7%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 16th lowest of 29 state primary schools in Crawley. Lower than 39% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 5.4% | 5.2%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 13th lowest of 29 state primary schools in Crawley. Lower than 52% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 11.3% | 11.7%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 8th lowest of 29 state primary schools in Crawley. Lower than 47% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 1.2 | 2.8 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 9th lowest of 29 state primary schools in Crawley. Lower than 51% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.6% | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.04% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher Joint 6th highest of 29 state primary schools in Crawley. Higher than 80% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 23.3 | 21.3 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) Joint 5th highest of 29 state primary schools in Crawley. Higher than 81% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 12.8 | 11.4 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year 11th highest of 29 state primary schools in Crawley. Higher than 59% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 15.3% | 12.8%* | 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
- Southgate Primary 0.2 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 45% met expected standard (KS2)
- Broadfield Primary Academy 0.5 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), confirmed 2025 · 77% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, Crawley 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2018), confirmed 2023 · 67% met expected standard (KS2)
- Desmond Anderson Primary Academy 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), confirmed 2025 · 51% met expected standard (KS2)
- Seymour Primary School 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2018), improved significantly 2024 · 77% met expected standard (KS2)
- Gossops Green Primary 0.8 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), confirmed 2025 · 59% met expected standard (KS2)
- The Oaks Primary School and Nursery 0.9 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) · 72% met expected standard (KS2)
- West Green Primary School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024) · 47% met expected standard (KS2)
- The Bewbush Academy 1.1 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 64% met expected standard (KS2)
- The Mill Primary Academy 1.2 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 5 expected, 2 needs attention · 76% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Hilltop Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Hilltop Primary School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 18 June 2014. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 6 March 2024, Ofsted found the school was still Good and may be improving, so its next inspection will be a full graded one.
How did Hilltop Primary School do in its SATs?
In 2024/25, 79% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 17 points above the England average of 62%.
Would parents recommend Hilltop Primary School?
93% of the 45 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025 said they would recommend Hilltop Primary School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Hilltop Primary School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 79 families put Hilltop Primary School as their first choice for 85 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 79 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 138648.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 1 January 2024 to 6 January 2025.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, Key stage 2 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.