Lindfield Primary Academy is strong in 4 of 7 Ofsted areas and Blackthorns strong for achievement. Both met safeguarding in report cards out 9 September.

Both of Lindfield’s primary schools have received their first Ofsted report cards under the new inspection system. Neither school was graded below the expected standard in any area, and both met the safeguarding standards.

Lindfield Primary Academy on School Lane was graded strong standard in four of its seven areas. Blackthorns Community Primary School on Blackthorns Close was graded strong standard for achievement and expected standard in the other six. Ofsted inspected both schools in June and published the reports on 9 September.

Both schools joined the Hurst Education Trust on 1 June 2026, about three weeks before the inspectors arrived.

How the grades compare

Single-word judgements such as “outstanding” are gone. Since 10 November 2025, Ofsted grades each area on a five-point scale, set out in its education inspection framework:

  • exceptional
  • strong standard
  • expected standard
  • needs attention
  • urgent improvement

Safeguarding is judged separately, as met or not met. Ofsted’s framework says an area is graded strong standard when all the expected standards and all the strong standards are met.

Ofsted grades by area for Lindfield’s two primary schools Lindfield Primary Academy: strong standard for attendance and behaviour, early years, inclusion, and personal development and wellbeing; expected standard for achievement, curriculum and teaching, and leadership and governance. Blackthorns: strong standard for achievement; expected standard for the other six areas. Ofsted grades by area, June 2026 inspections Lindfield Primary Academy Blackthorns Achievement Expected standard Strong standard Attendance and behaviour Strong standard Expected standard Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Expected standard Early years Strong standard Expected standard Inclusion Strong standard Expected standard Leadership and governance Expected standard Expected standard Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard Expected standard Source: Ofsted report cards, URN 142291 and URN 141892. Safeguarding met at both. Graphic by Mid Sussex News

The old and new grades cannot be compared directly. For the record, Lindfield Primary Academy was rated outstanding at its October 2021 inspection. Blackthorns was rated outstanding in September 2018. An ungraded visit to Blackthorns in April 2025 found that aspects of its work “may not be as strong” as at that inspection, and said the next one would be graded.

Lindfield Primary Academy: strong on behaviour and early years

The report on Lindfield Primary Academy says “behaviour across the school is excellent” and bullying is rare. Children in Reception “get off to a great start”. Inspectors also found strong work on inclusion and personal development.

Achievement, curriculum and teaching, and leadership were graded expected standard. Inspectors said most pupils achieve well but “some pupils’ handwriting is less well developed”. On leadership, the report is direct:

The uncertainty surrounding the handover to a new trust has impacted the day to day running of the school.

It adds that leaders “have worked hard to reduce the impact on pupils”.

The school has 660 pupils. Ofsted set it two next steps:

  • make sure all pupils develop accurate and fluent handwriting
  • leaders and governors to keep working together to give the school consistent support and challenge

Blackthorns: strong for achievement

The Blackthorns report opens its achievement section with “Pupils achieve highly in this school.” Year 6 results in reading, writing and maths are above national averages, and inspectors wrote that disadvantaged pupils “achieve very well”.

The other six areas were graded expected standard. On leadership, inspectors said new leaders “have introduced robust systems” and kept “high standards during a period of significant change”.

The school has 210 pupils. Ofsted set it two next steps:

  • embed highly effective teaching across subjects and year groups
  • keep embedding the personal development programme

The results and attendance behind the grades

Each report card carries the data inspectors used. Both schools’ test results and attendance are better than the national averages.

Lindfield Primary Academy Blackthorns National
Pupils on roll 660 210 272 (primary average)
Year 6 expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 3-year average 71% 74% 61%
Same measure, 2024/25 70% 77% 62%
Overall absence, 2024/25 3.6% 3.2% 5.2%
Persistent absence, 2024/25 4.2% 4.4% 13.0%
Eligible for free school meals 5.91% 4.76% 26.3%

Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of morning and afternoon sessions. The free school meals figure counts pupils eligible at any point in the last six years.

What it means for you

  • Applying for a Reception place for September 2027? West Sussex County Council opens applications at 9am on 5 October 2026. The on-time deadline is 11.59pm on 15 January 2027, and offers come out on 16 April 2027. Details are on the county’s starting school page.
  • Read the area grades, not just a headline. A school can be strong for behaviour and expected for achievement, as Lindfield Primary Academy is. Pick the areas that matter for your child.
  • Both full reports are free to read on Ofsted’s pages for Lindfield Primary Academy and Blackthorns, including the data tables.

For more on living in the area, see our Mid Sussex house prices and council tax bands pages.

Sources