School Chooser

Danehill Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedChurch of England64 pupilsEast Sussex
School Chooser Score
24
Below
similar schools
Likely range 6 to 68, so it could be “well below”
Out of 100. Better than 27% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, June 2024
Reached the expected level at 1155%England 63%
Attendance93.0%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families17%Far fewer than most schools
Places41 spare64 pupils, 105 places
Pupils per teacher12.9School workforce census

Danehill Church of England Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary controlled) in Haywards Heath for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 64 pupils and room for 105. About 17 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 24 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 27% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.

School Lane, Danehill, Haywards Heath, RH17 7JB01825 790388danehillcepschool.orgMs Caroline Powell headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 12 June 2024 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that, although the inspectors did raise some concerns, so a full inspection will follow. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

11 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.

Reached the expected level at 1155%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level9%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score107.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score106.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 82%82%20172018: 91%91%20182019: 78%78%20192023: 29%29%20232024: 60%60%20242025: 55%55%2025
Since 2017: -27%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017East SussexEngland
Pupils tested1110791111
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths55%60%29%78%91%82%61%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths9%0%0%22%18%0%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score107.0105.0102.0108.0106.0113.0105.5105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score106.0103.098.0112.0108.0112.0103.9104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0100.095.0107.0109.0113.0103.5105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard82%80%71%89%91%100%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard73%60%29%89%100%100%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)55%80%57%78%91%82%
Reading progressReading progress score+2.7-1.9+4.2
Maths progressMaths progress score+5.1+1.8+4.3
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged82%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Plenty of spare places88 pupils for 105 places, 2024/25
84% full

17 places were empty (16% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (4 offers for 15 places). 4 families put it down as their first choice and 4 of them got in (100%).

EntryPlacesPut it firstApplied at allGot a placeFirst choices who got inHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary154204100%all offeredLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll64Census January 2026
Places10561% full
Pupils from low-income families17%17% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English2%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support14%9 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%2 pupils with a plan
Average class size16.04 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)14%£17,050 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls40 / 24
White British pupils84%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 10.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 22.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (6), Autistic spectrum disorder (3), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (1), Specific learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll649197898779
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals17%12%8%8%7%6%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language2%1%2%1%0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support13%11%10%10%10%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%3%2%4%4%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.0% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.0%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school18.5%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils3.32024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.1%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence7.0%7.0%7.2%7.9%3.9%4.4%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence5.9%5.5%5.5%7.0%3.7%3.6%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.1%1.4%1.7%0.9%0.2%0.8%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence18.5%27.5%19.1%29.5%15.4%7.2%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate3.30.01.11.20.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers5.0full-time equivalent, 7 people
Pupils per teacher12.9Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants3.8full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£48,366
Teachers who left in the year14%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher5.22024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£7,954England £7,738. Total £724k
Income per pupil£7,765England £7,697. Total £707k
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,000England £3,480
Money in reserve6%Not much put by: £39k, £425 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£17kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£7,954spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m1212 months to June 2026, mostly anti-social behaviour
Local crime rate35 per 1,000 people61% lower than the England average
Typical house price£380,000Wealden
Nearest bus stop370 mOak Tree Cottages, 2 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St Giles CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England1.6 miles114Not inspected19Compare
Nutley Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England2.2 miles60Report card 202618Compare
Fletching Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England3.1 miles64Good 20229Compare
St Augustine's CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England3.7 miles97Good 202380Compare
West Hoathly CofE Primary SchoolAcademy4.1 miles99Requires improvement 2023Compare
St Peter's CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England4.1 miles109Not inspected28Compare
Lindfield Primary AcademyAcademy4.2 miles656Outstanding 202189Compare
Newick Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy4.4 miles217No overall grade 202577Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Danehill Church of England Primary School with the 48 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats27%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 24 is 21 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 45 · highest 86100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 24 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 24% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 6 to 68. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
-0.04
2025 results; 11 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%below
-0.16
Ofsted grade, 2.3 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.03
Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 11 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.11
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.07
2024/25; 92 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
+0.02
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 11 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Danehill Church of England Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Danehill Church of England Primary School scores 24 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 27% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 6 to 68, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Danehill Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Danehill Church of England Primary School good at its last full inspection on 12 June 2024.

How good are Danehill Church of England Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 55% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 9% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.

How many pupils does Danehill Church of England Primary School have?

64 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 105 places, so it is 61% full.

Is Danehill Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 17 places were empty in 2024/25 (16% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Danehill Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 93.0% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 18% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Danehill Church of England Primary School?

The average class had 16.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
School Lane, Danehill, Haywards Heath, RH17 7JB
Telephone
01825 790388
Website
www.danehillcepschool.org
Headteacher
Ms Caroline Powell
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary controlled) (Voluntary controlled school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Chichester
Local authority
East Sussex
Ward
Danehill & Fletching
Constituency
East Grinstead and Uckfield
Setting
Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
URN
114499 · LAESTAB 8453018 · UKPRN 10078883

Where these figures come from