Ofsted: Good trending_up Popular emoji_events #111 in West Sussex public Top 60% UK

The March CofE Primary School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Nicky Metcalfe

corporate_fareDIOCESE OF CHICHESTER ACADEMY TRUST

location_onChichester, PO18 0NU

language Visit Website phone 1243783987

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2023

groups

Students

209

school

Expected Standard

60%

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Demand Ratio

1.3x

summarize

The March CofE Primary School is a Academy converter primary school in Chichester, serving ages 4-11. Rated Good by Ofsted. Demand is above capacity (1.3×) — apply through your local authority on time. Ranks in the top 60% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

The March CofE Primary School is an academy converter in Chichester, West Sussex, admitting pupils aged 4-11. It is part of DIOCESE OF CHICHESTER ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 202 pupils on roll, of whom 10% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 60% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 7% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #111 of 191 primaries in West Sussex and #10,338 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2023. The school's current overall rating is Good. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Outstanding, and leadership and management Good.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.3× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 21.9:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 1.5 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

60%

LA 56%

Reading80% LA 73%

Writing77% LA 67%

Maths70% LA 69%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

105

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

27%

LA 54%England 61%

Reading73% LA 73% · Eng 74%

Writing27% LA 65% · Eng 72%

Maths63% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

63%

LA 53%England 60%

Reading81% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Writing75% LA 65% · Eng 71%

Maths72% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

0.7

Read

LA 0.1

-1.5 to 2.9

-0.5

Write

LA -0.8

-2.6 to 1.6

-1.7

Maths

LA -0.8

-3.8 to 0.4

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

07 March 2023

Inspection Report

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07 December 2018

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2023-03-07

S5 Inspection EIF

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Outstanding

Leadership

Good

2014-10-08

S5 Inspection EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2010-10-13

None EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

3.0%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

1.0%(2 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 202 pupils. During this period, there were 6 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 3.0%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	202	6	3.0%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	208	0	0.0%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	209	0	0.0%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	209	2	1.0%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	210	0	0.0%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	209	0	0.0%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	209	0	0.0%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	209	0	0.0%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	211	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	210	1	0.5%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	209	0	0.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	205	0	0.0%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	202	0	0.0%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	201	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	202	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	202	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	203	0	0.0%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	202	0	0.0%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	205	0	0.0%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	205	0	0.0%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 11 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 11 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 4 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 4 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

Visual Impairment 1 pupils

Multi-Sensory Impairment 1 pupils

Physical Disability 1 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

82.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

80.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

22.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree35%

agree37%

disagree18%

strongly disagree5%

don't know5%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree47%

agree47%

disagree6%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree31%

agree26%

disagree23%

strongly disagree8%

not applicable13%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes23%

no77%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree36%

agree29%

disagree14%

strongly disagree7%

dont know14%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree35%

agree34%

disagree13%

strongly disagree2%

don't know16%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree39%

agree48%

disagree11%

strongly disagree2%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree34%

agree48%

disagree8%

strongly disagree8%

don't know2%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree45%

agree47%

disagree3%

don't know5%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree42%

agree45%

disagree8%

strongly disagree2%

don't know3%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree32%

agree31%

disagree18%

strongly disagree5%

don't know15%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes74%

no26%

Top Primary Schools in West Sussex

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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Seymour Primary School

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Pound Hill Junior School, Crawley

Good

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Heron Way Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Horsham, RH13 6DJ

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Broadfield Primary Academy

Good

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School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Church of England)

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in West Sussex

Albourne Church of England Primary School

Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, Cuckfield

Seymour Primary School

Pound Hill Junior School, Crawley

Heron Way Primary School

Broadfield Primary Academy