Best primary schools in East Sussex (2026)

East Sussex has 166 ranked primary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Ark Blacklands Primary Academy, in the top 4% in England. The average reading, writing & maths here in 2025 was 61%, against 62% for England. 3 are in England's top 10%, and 4 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted.

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Rank	School	Reading, writing & maths (2023–2025 average)	Reading, writing & maths 2025	Higher standard	Ofsted
1 Top 4% in England	Ark Blacklands Primary Academy Hastings	88%	92%	14%	No rating
2 Top 5% in England	St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School Bexhill-on-Sea · Church of England	87%	80%	5%	Not judged
3 Top 8% in England	Blackboys Church of England Primary School Blackboys · Church of England	82%	82%	23%	Good
4 Top 11% in England	Brede Primary School Broad Oak (Rother)	82%	100%	6%	Report card
5 Top 11% in England	Hurst Green Church of England Primary School and Nursery Hurst Green (Rother) · Church of England	81%	71%	29%	No rating
6 Top 12% in England	Ditchling St Margaret's Church of England Primary School Ditchling · Church of England	78%	81%	19%	No rating
7 Top 13% in England	Western Road Community Primary School Lewes	79%	70%	10%	Not judged
8 Top 17% in England	Guestling Bradshaw Church of England Primary School Rother · Church of England	75%	75%	13%	Good
9 Top 18% in England	Ark Little Ridge Primary Academy Hastings	75%	73%	11%	Outstanding
10 Top 19% in England	Harlands Community Primary & Nursery School Uckfield	79%	76%	0%	No rating
11 Top 19% in England	Hove Junior School Brighton and Hove	75%	76%	9%	Not judged
12 Top 20% in England	Ark Castledown Primary Academy Hastings	76%	78%	8%	Report card
13 Top 20% in England	Wivelsfield Primary School and Nursery Wivelsfield Green	75%	69%	10%	No rating
14 Top 23% in England	Icklesham Church of England Primary School and Nursery Icklesham · Church of England	73%	80%	7%	No rating
15 Top 24% in England	Sandown Primary School and Nursery Hastings	74%	81%	10%	No rating
16 Top 24% in England	Hamsey Community Primary School Lewes	70%	70%	20%	Good
17 Top 24% in England	Park Mead Primary School Upper Dicker	74%	71%	6%	No rating
18 Top 25% in England	Carlton Hill Primary School Brighton and Hove	74%	74%	3%	No rating
19 Top 25% in England	Bilingual Primary School - Brighton & Hove Brighton and Hove	74%	76%	11%	Report card
20 Top 26% in England	Breakwater Academy Newhaven	76%	81%	0%	No rating
21 Top 26% in England	Maynards Green Community Primary School Maynard's Green	70%	68%	10%	Good
22 Top 27% in England	All Saints CofE Junior Academy Hastings · Church of England	72%	63%	5%	No rating
23 Top 28% in England	Harbour Primary and Nursery School Newhaven	71%	74%	12%	No rating
24 Top 29% in England	Peter Gladwin Primary School Brighton and Hove	74%	77%	3%	No rating
25 Top 29% in England	Groombridge St Thomas' Church of England Primary School Groombridge · Church of England	71%	74%	11%	Good
26 Top 31% in England	High Hurstwood Church of England Primary School High Hurstwood · Church of England	68%	80%	13%	Good
27 Top 32% in England	Parkside Community Primary School Heathfield (Wealden)	71%	72%	7%	Report card
28 Top 32% in England	Rocks Park Primary School Uckfield	70%	71%	6%	No rating
29 Top 32% in England	Little Common School Bexhill-on-Sea	68%	68%	11%	Outstanding
30 Top 32% in England	St Philip's Catholic Primary School Uckfield · Roman Catholic	69%	61%	3%	Not judged
31 Top 32% in England	St Paul's CofE Primary School Brighton and Hove · Church of England	69%	76%	10%	Report card
32 Top 32% in England	Balfour Primary School Brighton and Hove	68%	71%	10%	Good
33 Top 34% in England	St Luke's Primary School Brighton and Hove	68%	60%	1%	Not judged
34 Top 34% in England	Newick Church of England Primary School Newick · Church of England	67%	67%	11%	Not judged
35 Top 34% in England	Sedlescombe Church of England Primary School Sedlescombe · Church of England	67%	79%	7%	No rating
36 Top 34% in England	Cradle Hill Community Primary School Seaford	69%	69%	6%	No rating
37 Top 34% in England	Cottesmore St Mary's Catholic Primary School Brighton and Hove · Roman Catholic	70%	72%	6%	Good
38 Top 36% in England	Chiddingly Primary School Wealden	66%	64%	7%	No rating
39 Top 36% in England	St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy Hastings · Church of England	68%	63%	3%	Report card
40 Top 37% in England	St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School Brighton and Hove · Roman Catholic	70%	66%	6%	Report card
41 Top 37% in England	St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School Bexhill-on-Sea · Roman Catholic	67%	64%	14%	Not judged
42 Top 37% in England	St Mary's Catholic Primary School Brighton and Hove · Roman Catholic	68%	63%	3%	No rating
43 Top 38% in England	Patcham Junior School Brighton and Hove	67%	72%	7%	No rating
44 Top 39% in England	Catsfield Church of England Primary School Catsfield · Church of England	68%	69%	8%	Not judged
45 Top 41% in England	Westdene Primary School Brighton and Hove	65%	59%	5%	Not judged
46 Top 41% in England	Alfriston School Alfriston	64%	54%	8%	Not judged
47 Top 41% in England	St Andrew's CofE (Aided) Primary School Brighton and Hove · Church of England	66%	68%	7%	No rating
48 Top 41% in England	St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School Winchelsea Beach · Church of England	64%	78%	22%	No rating
49 Top 42% in England	St Paul's Church of England Academy Hastings · Church of England	65%	72%	10%	No rating
50 Top 42% in England	Southover CofE Primary School Lewes · Church of England	63%	60%	23%	No rating
51 Top 42% in England	Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School Heathfield (Wealden) · Church of England	67%	70%	4%	Good
52 Top 43% in England	Stafford Junior School Eastbourne	64%	66%	11%	Good
53 Top 43% in England	Bonners CofE School & Nursery Maresfield · Church of England	62%	76%	6%	No rating
54 Top 43% in England	St John's Church of England Primary School Crowborough · Church of England	67%	66%	7%	Not judged
55 Top 44% in England	St Margaret's CofE Primary School, Rottingdean Brighton and Hove · Church of England	65%	65%	8%	No rating
56 Top 44% in England	Netherfield CofE Primary School Netherfield · Church of England	67%	72%	0%	Report card
57 Top 45% in England	Ninfield Church of England Primary School Ninfield · Church of England	67%	64%	0%	Inadequate
58 Top 46% in England	Crowhurst CofE Primary School Crowhurst · Church of England	62%	73%	9%	No rating
59 Top 46% in England	Rotherfield Primary School Rotherfield	64%	55%	10%	No rating
60 Top 46% in England	Willingdon Primary School Lower Willingdon	61%	63%	10%	Good
61 Top 46% in England	Herstmonceux Church of England Primary School Herstmonceux · Church of England	65%	50%	0%	No rating
62 Top 46% in England	Battle and Langton Church of England Primary School Battle · Church of England	65%	63%	5%	No rating
63 Top 47% in England	Glenleigh Park Primary Academy Bexhill-on-Sea	65%	62%	7%	Good
64 Top 47% in England	White House Academy Hailsham	65%	68%	11%	Good
65 Top 48% in England	Bevendean Primary School and Nursery Brighton and Hove	67%	69%	0%	Not judged
66 Top 48% in England	Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School Westham · Church of England	64%	76%	10%	Not judged
67 Top 48% in England	Barcombe Church of England Primary School Barcombe Cross · Church of England	58%	44%	13%	Not judged
68 Top 48% in England	Etchingham Church of England Primary School Etchingham · Church of England	64%	67%	8%	Good
69 Top 49% in England	High Cliff Academy Newhaven	66%	76%	0%	Report card
70 Top 50% in England	St John's Meads Church of England Primary School Eastbourne · Church of England	63%	71%	3%	Requires improvement
71 Top 50% in England	Middle Street Primary School Brighton and Hove	62%	60%	7%	Good
72 Top 50% in England	Peacehaven Heights Academy Peacehaven	65%	79%	0%	Not judged
73 Top 50% in England	Plumpton Primary School Plumpton Green	62%	50%	6%	No rating
74 Bottom 50% in England	Our Lady of Lourdes RC School Brighton and Hove · Roman Catholic	63%	48%	0%	No rating
75 Bottom 50% in England	Burwash CofE School Burwash · Church of England	61%	72%	8%	Outstanding
76 Bottom 49% in England	Beckley Church of England Primary School Beckley (Rother) · Church of England	63%	50%	8%	No rating
77 Bottom 48% in England	Downs Junior School Brighton and Hove	62%	60%	6%	Good
78 Bottom 48% in England	Hawkes Farm Academy Hailsham	63%	74%	5%	Not judged
79 Bottom 48% in England	Wadhurst CofE Primary School and Nursery Wadhurst · Church of England	61%	66%	5%	No rating
80 Bottom 48% in England	Stonegate Church of England Primary School Rother · Church of England	61%	46%	15%	No rating
81 Bottom 47% in England	The Haven Church of England Methodist Primary School Eastbourne · Church of England/Methodist	62%	55%	2%	Report card
82 Bottom 47% in England	Mark Cross Church of England Aided Primary School Wealden · Church of England	63%	73%	0%	No rating
83 Bottom 45% in England	Iford and Kingston Church of England Primary School Kingston near Lewes · Church of England	61%	58%	4%	No rating
84 Bottom 45% in England	Northiam Church of England Primary School and Nursery Northiam · Church of England	64%	79%	0%	No rating
85 Bottom 45% in England	Ashdown Primary School Crowborough	60%	60%	10%	No rating
86 Bottom 44% in England	Rudyard Kipling Primary School & Nursery Brighton and Hove	62%	46%	2%	No rating
87 Bottom 44% in England	Aldrington CofE Primary School Brighton and Hove · Church of England	61%	63%	6%	Report card
88 Bottom 43% in England	Mile Oak Primary School Brighton and Hove	62%	58%	4%	Good
89 Bottom 43% in England	King Offa Primary Academy Bexhill-on-Sea	60%	70%	10%	Good
90 Bottom 42% in England	Mulberry West St Leonards Primary Hastings	58%	60%	15%	Report card
91 Bottom 41% in England	Tollgate Community Junior School Eastbourne	57%	57%	11%	No rating
92 Bottom 41% in England	Telscombe Cliffs Academy Telscombe Cliffs	61%	62%	2%	Not judged
93 Bottom 41% in England	Nutley Church of England Primary School Nutley · Church of England	60%	54%	8%	Report card
94 Bottom 40% in England	Polegate Primary School Polegate	60%	66%	2%	Outstanding
95 Bottom 40% in England	Goldstone Primary School Brighton and Hove	58%	57%	7%	No rating
96 Bottom 39% in England	Mayfield Church of England Primary School Mayfield (Wealden) · Church of England	59%	60%	7%	Not judged
97 Bottom 39% in England	Laughton Community Primary School Wealden	60%	40%	0%	Good
98 Bottom 38% in England	Five Ashes CofE Primary School Five Ashes · Church of England	61%	82%	0%	Not judged
99 Bottom 38% in England	Parkland Junior School Eastbourne	58%	68%	13%	Good
100 Bottom 38% in England	Jarvis Brook Primary School Wealden	58%	67%	11%	No rating

Showing the top 100 of 166. See all 166 and filter them.

Best primary school in each town

Hastings · best: Ark Blacklands Primary Academy
Bexhill-on-Sea · best: St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School
Lewes · best: Western Road Community Primary School
Uckfield · best: Harlands Community Primary & Nursery School
Brighton and Hove · best: Hove Junior School
Newhaven · best: Breakwater Academy
Seaford · best: Cradle Hill Community Primary School
Eastbourne · best: Stafford Junior School
Crowborough · best: St John's Church of England Primary School

Also see

Questions

What is the best primary school in East Sussex?

On exam results over the last three years, Ark Blacklands Primary Academy is the top-ranked primary school in East Sussex, in the top 4% of schools in England.

How are the schools ranked?

By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.