Ferring C of E Primary SchoolOfsted report card, 22 Sept 2026

Ferring C of E Primary School

Address: Sea Lane, Ferring, Worthing, West Sussex, BN12 5DU Unique reference number (URN): 125982

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils typically achieve well. They are supported to build knowledge from their different starting points. This includes pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and those facing other barriers to learning. Pupils’ published results have improved over time. Key stage 2 results are now at or above national averages. Year 1 phonics results remain slightly below the national average but have also improved over time.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils are supported to develop secure foundational knowledge, including handwriting. They are given sufficient time to practise new skills which helps to build their confidence. Pupils develop secure knowledge across the curriculum. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about what they are learning and ably make links with earlier learning and other subjects. As a result, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. They are equipped with the essential knowledge and skills and attitudes to flourish in their next stages of learning.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Attendance is broadly in line with the national average. Leaders use well developed systems to monitor attendance and act quickly when concerns arise. Staff work closely with families to understand barriers and provide support. Attendance is reviewed regularly, including for pupils who may face additional barriers. Concerns are followed up with families and, where needed, outside services are used to provide support. This helps pupils to attend school and reduces missed sessions so pupils do not develop gaps in learning.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Behaviour and attitudes to learning are positive across the school. Pupils follow routines and settle to learning well. The school uses a clear approach that focuses on positive relationships and helps pupils understand the impact of their choices. The approach is adapted where needed for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff know pupils well and provide effective support when needed. Bullying is rare and concerns are dealt with promptly. Pupils are respectful of others and ready to learn. Discrimination, harassment, abuse and violence, including online, are not accepted and are addressed quickly and consistently. Pupils feel safe and understand how to seek support if they have a concern.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

School leaders have a sharp understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching, and have successfully strengthened both. The curriculum is suitably sequenced and logically ordered to help pupils build knowledge over time. In key stage 2 especially, staff use appropriate assessments to check pupils' understanding to identify what pupils need to learn next. Teachers check understanding and respond to gaps in learning. This helps pupils gain the knowledge and skills set out in the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders are focused on securing foundations for pupils. They have prioritised early reading, phonics and writing. The school’s approach to phonics and early reading is used consistently from early years onwards. This helps pupils to read with fluency and confidence. Pupils who need support read books that match the sounds they know and receive effective support to help them secure key phonics knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders provide high-quality training so that staff have the required subject knowledge. Teachers use practice and recall approaches to help pupils remember knowledge and skills. They adapt teaching suitably when needed. The curriculum and teaching are inclusive. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities access the intended curriculum and successfully participate in lessons. Teachers make timely and suitable changes to help pupils learn.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders are ambitious for children and have recently strengthened the early years so that the provision reflects their aspiration. The curriculum is coherently designed to help children get off to a positive start across all areas of learning. Leaders adjust the provision carefully in response to children's needs. Children are happy and excited and enjoy the early years provision. Staff prioritise their wellbeing and welfare, while encouraging children to take safe risks. Well-established routines support children to flourish. Children understand the school's expectations and are increasingly able to explain their thoughts and understand their feelings

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Early years Expected standard

Children are supported to practise new skills and build knowledge gradually over time. The phonics scheme is taught effectively and children develop a love of reading and books. Children enjoy learning through an abundance of stories, singing, rhymes and poems. Staff extend children's understanding with high-quality interventions. Adults provide timely support and challenge. Teaching helps children to develop their language, vocabulary and concentration. Leaders ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified early. The suitable identification of barriers and helpful support helps children to access the same ambitious curriculum. As a result, children achieve well. Leaders recognise the need to refine the transition between early years and Year 1.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders understand the school’s strengths and identify appropriate areas for improvement. Their decision-making and actions reflect their deep commitment to improving outcomes for pupils. They take timely actions to strengthen the provision and this has led to particular improvements in curriculum, teaching, achievement and attendance. Leaders are outward looking and make the most of working with external partners and other schools to help sharpen the provision for pupils.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, staff and governors collaborate effectively and have created a culture of driving improvement together. Governors meet their statutory duties and provide useful support and challenge to leaders about different aspects of the school's provision. They evaluate progress against priorities and suitably hold leaders to account for the impact of actions.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are careful to consider staff wellbeing and workload when considering making changes to the school. They prioritise impressive and high-quality professional development for staff to equip them with the required knowledge and skills to build capacity and improve consistency. Staff welcome leaders' consideration of their workload. Staff are well supported and appreciate the focus on improving the school for the benefit of pupils.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Relationships with parents and carers and the wider community are typically positive and well established. Parents value the improvements in the school and the child-focused ethos. Leaders also work successfully with local organisations, charities and the local church community. One parent represented the views of many when saying, 'The school has the entire community's best interests at heart.'

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The personal development and wellbeing programme is planned carefully and linked to the school’s values of love, hope and joy. The programme meets the needs of the school community and helps pupils to develop confidence, independence and a sense of belonging. Pupils learn how to manage emotions, resolve disagreements and make positive choices. The school's restorative approach helps pupils understand the effect of their actions and repair relationships.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is supported through the curriculum, clubs, pupil leadership and activities in the wider community. Pupils learn to respect different views and understand the importance of fairness, responsibility and helping others. They develop an appropriate understanding of fundamental British values through daily school life and planned learning. The relationships and sex education and health education programme is suitable. Pupils learn about healthy relationships, keeping healthy and recognising risks. Links with computing help pupils to understand online and offline risks. Pupils can explain how to stay safe and where to seek help. Pupils develop the confidence to speak up when something worries them.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders place great emphasis on the personal development of pupils. Support is adapted to meet individual needs. This includes classroom adjustments, changes to the start of the day and support with managing anxiety. Pupils use agreed ways to express their feelings and seek help from trusted adults. Pastoral support helps pupils feel safe, included and ready to learn.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils develop independence and are suitably prepared for their next steps through opportunities such as buddy roles, play leadership, clubs, performances and residential experiences. They learn to take responsibility, work with others and contribute positively to their community. Pupils understand that everyone is welcome and that their peers may need different support. These experiences help pupils become confident and independent. They learn to make sensible decisions, cope with change and take increasing responsibility for themselves.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have recently introduced systems to identify, assess and meet pupils’ needs. Leaders are embedding these approaches, and they have not had sufficient time to evaluate their impact fully. Analysis of pupils’ progress and the effectiveness of support is at an early stage. Staff have received useful training on adaptive teaching and setting targets. Leaders have acted quickly to reduce barriers to learning. They have introduced a system which identifies pupils’ main barriers. Pupils receive targeted support matched to their needs. Leaders are beginning to use progress information to evaluate impact.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is developing. Adaptations include breakout spaces, additional adult support, scaffolds and adapted tasks. These help pupils access the same or similar learning as their peers. Leaders have a clear action plan for improvement. They know pupils and families well. They work closely with parents, the virtual school and other agencies. This includes support for pupils known to social care.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders use pupil premium funding to address barriers faced by disadvantaged pupils. They appropriately support other pupils who face barriers to learning. Where alternative provision is used, leaders monitor pupils’ attendance, support and progress.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy coming to Ferring Church of England Primary School. They say that everyone is welcome and that it is a good place to be yourself. Staff greet pupils and their families with warmth and care, helping pupils feel valued, part of the school community and ready to learn. Pupils are reflective and the school motto, ‘Grow with Love, Believe with Hope, Achieve with Joy: Life in all its Fullness’, is evident throughout the school. Pupils are inspired by this to do their best.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They are kind, caring and respectful towards each other and understand that everyone is welcome. Pupils recognise that some children need different types of support to help them learn successfully. Pupils feel safe and know which trusted adults they can turn to if they are worried. They say that bullying and discriminatory behaviour are rare. Staff deal with any incidents quickly.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy learning and value the opportunities they are given to develop their interests and take on responsibility. They particularly enjoy leadership roles, such as being buddies to younger children and wearing the coveted ‘Truly Trusted’ badges. They appreciate the independence and trust that these responsibilities bring. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, benefit from opportunities to participate fully in school life. A wide range of clubs and experiences, including a large singing event in London and sporting opportunities at local secondary schools, enrich pupils’ experiences.

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Lead inspector:

Helen Longton-Howorth, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Catherine Cottingham, Ofsted Inspector Debbie Allen, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

Children in the early years benefit from well-planned induction procedures and activities, giving them a positive start to school. Pupils build knowledge and confidence as they progress through the school. By Year 6, they are well prepared for the next stage of their education and equipped to continue learning with confidence.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to strengthen inclusion so that strategies to identify needs and barriers are implemented consistently and their impact on pupils systematically evaluated. Leaders should strengthen the consistency of teaching across key stage 1, ensuring that teaching builds effectively on pupils’ prior learning and that practice consistently enables pupils to develop secure knowledge and make strong progress.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Dawn Kennett.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

This inspection took place from 22 to 23 September 2026.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with leaders, staff, pupils, parents, governors, and diocese and local authority representatives during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The school currently makes use of one unregistered alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: James Cox This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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About this inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 22 September 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (final) 70% 62% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (final) 70% 75% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (final) 70% 72% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 71% 72% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 74% 74% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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national average

2022/23 (final) 67% 60% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 5.3% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.9% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.8% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 11.9% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 13.4% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 15.6% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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