Ditchling St Margaret's Church of England Primary School

  • Primary
  • Academy
  • Ages 2 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Lewes Road, Ditchling, BN6 8TUOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Ditchling St Margaret's Church of England Primary School is a primary school in Ditchling for ages 2 to 11. It is one of the 214 schools in East Sussex. It ranks 2nd of 129 primary schools in East Sussex. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in December 2017.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 5 December 2017, report published 16 January 2018

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years provision
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 March 2025

Pupils love their school. They are proud to reflect the school's values of kindness, respect and perseverance. Pupils are caring and considerate of each other and like spending time with their friends. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. Pupils know they can rely on their trusted adults to help them if they are worried about anything. This helps pupils feel nurtured and safe. The school is aspirational for all pupils' learning and behaviour. Staff reinforce the school's high expectations through well-established routines. Pupils rise to meet these expectations and achieve well. Pupils behave extremely well. They are polite and courteous to staff and each other. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils know the importance of getting a strong education. As a result, they work hard and attend school regularly. The school encourages pupils to develop a sense of responsibility. Pupils are given opportunities to undertake a range of roles. For example, digital leaders plan and lead the weekly 'excellent effort' assemblies, presenting pupils with certificates. School council members worked alongside leaders to design the school's mental health strategy. These opportunities develop pupils' strength of character and enable them to become confident and resilient individuals.

What the school should improve

  • A small number of pupils are not always given enough opportunities to practise and embed the fundamentals of writing. Occasionally, teachers do not correct handwriting, spelling and grammar errors. As a result, some pupils find it hard to write fluently or accurately. The trust should ensure that the school continues to define its approach to developing and securing pupils' foundational knowledge in writing.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

31 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths81%

81%, 19 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths19%

19%, 11 percentage points above the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score110

110, 4 above the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score109

109, 4 above the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score107

107, 2 above the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

243 pupils on roll, with places for 161

Eligible for free school meals5.8%

5.8%, 20.7 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language2.5%

2.5%, 19.1 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support13.2%

13.2%, 1.6 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan1.2%

1.2%, 4.8 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Ditchling St Margaret's Church of England Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
The Windmills Junior School1 mileOfsted: Good65% met the expected standard
Hassocks Infant School1 mileReport card: Strong standardNot published
Birchwood Grove Community Primary School, Burgess Hill2 milesOfsted: Good76% met the expected standard
London Meed Community Primary School2 milesOfsted: Good55% met the expected standard
Plumpton Primary School2 milesOfsted: Good50% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Academy converter
Sector
Academy
Trust
HURST EDUCATION TRUST LIMITED
Age range
2 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Miss Nikki Elliott
Address
Lewes Road, Ditchling, BN6 8TU
Local authority
East Sussex
URN
148917

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.