Churchwood Primary School
Church-in-the-Wood Lane, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN38 9PBOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Churchwood Primary School is a primary school in St Leonards-on-Sea for ages 2 to 11. It is one of the 214 schools in East Sussex. It ranks 119th of 129 primary schools in East Sussex. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in October 2022.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 11 October 2022, report published 22 November 2022
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Outstanding
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Outstanding
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 11 October 2022
This is a school that sits at the heart of the local community. Older pupils are particularly understanding of the needs of others. Pupils across the school act responsibly. They know that some of their friends find it hard to behave perfectly all of the time. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, more than one pupil told inspectors that people are mostly kind at their school. Another pupil reflected that 'Sometimes people are just rude to others. It's because they are too competitive.' Others in the group agreed. They also agreed that staff work hard to make school enjoyable and safe for everyone. Staff have high expectations. They want all pupils to succeed. Leaders understand the barriers many pupils face. They ensure that the school's curriculum is enriched with additional opportunities as far as possible. This includes in early years and in the school's specialist class for pupils with autism spectrum disorder. Older pupils in key stage 2 are looking forward to their impending residential trip. One younger pupil told an inspector: 'My mum and dad wanted me to come here, and it turned out they were right! Because the school is good.' Inspectors agree.
What the school should improve
- Not all staff are as confident or as expert as they should be when teaching phonics. Some refresher training has taken place. However, there are inconsistencies in the way the school's new phonics programme is being implemented in classrooms. Leaders should address this issue as a matter of urgency so that pupils benefit from consistently high-quality phonics teaching.
- Some curriculum subjects need further development regarding the long-term planning and sequencing of the knowledge pupils will learn over time. Some subjects are more advanced than others. More needs to be done to ensure that curriculum planning, including in subjects such as music and modern foreign languages, enables teachers to design learning that builds on what pupils already know and can do. This will ensure that pupils are better prepared for their transition to secondary school across all curriculum subjects offered by the school.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
28 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
241 pupils on roll, with places for 215
Schools near Churchwood Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollington Primary School | 0.5 miles | Ofsted: Inadequate | 35% met the expected standard |
| Robsack Wood Primary School | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | 60% met the expected standard |
| Mulberry Silverdale Primary | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 60% met the expected standard |
| Ark Little Ridge Primary Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Outstanding | 73% met the expected standard |
| Mulberry West St Leonards Primary | 1 mile | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | 60% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- THE PIONEER ACADEMY
- Age range
- 2 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Rob Smith
- Phone
- 01424852326
- Address
- Church-in-the-Wood Lane, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN38 9PB
- Local authority
- East Sussex
- URN
- 141261
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.