Two East Sussex primary schools feature in The Times' top 500 list

The Cavendish School in Eldon Road in Eastbourne as well as Western Road Community Primary School in Lewes have been named in the The Sunday Times Parent Power league table.

The Cavendish School, commonly known as Cavendish School or just Cavendish, is a coeducational All-through school with academy status, ‘providing excellent learning opportunities for children aged 2 to 16’, and ranked in 369th place and is a new entry in this year’s Times list.

The ranking was based on average scores in English, grammar and maths as well as on the percentage of pupils who achieved their expected grade in the 2023 SATs tests.

Western Road Community Primary School in Southover High Street, Lewes was also placed on the list ranked slightly higher at 239.

The table, which featured only three per cent of England's 16,783 primary schools, ranked the education providers based on their performance.

The list, which was published on Monday, April 14, was done ahead of Tuesday, April 15 when more than half a million families in England will find out which primary school their three and four-year-old children will join in September.

Experts at the Sunday Times have said that more than 90 per cent of parents are expected to secure their first choice, but up to 45,000 children will have to settle for one of their lower preferences, with families in London the worst affected.

The Sunday Times also noted that grades in the three main subjects remained lower than pre pandemic levels.

In England, the latest data shows that across the country combined reading, writing and maths levels are still lower than they were before Covid. In the most recent tests last May, 59 per cent of pupils reached the expected level in English, grammar and maths combined, compared with 65 per cent in 2019.

The 500 primary schools listed in the rankings of the best primary schools make up almost three per cent of the 16,783 primary schools in the country.

Both schools have been contacted for comment.