Blackthorns Community Primary Academy

School overview

Blackthorns Community Primary Academy is a primary school serving Haywards Heath, West Sussex, classified by the DfE as a converter academy. It has 210 pupils aged 4 to 11 on roll. In the most recent Key Stage 2 SATs, 77% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — well above the national average of 61%. That marks an improvement of 10.0 percentage points in the proportion reaching the expected standard on the previous year. On our composite score, which combines the DfE attainment measures above, this places it among the top 18% of primary schools in England.

Pupils achieved an average scaled score of 111 in reading and 109 in maths (national averages are about 105 and 104). 13% reached the higher standard across all three subjects (around 8% do so nationally). Blackthorns Community Primary Academy was not oversubscribed for September 2026: all 21 families who put it first were offered a place. The council's own allocation figures show the last child offered a place for 2026 lived 1.97 miles away in a straight line — that distance is not a fixed catchment and moves each year. Overall pupil absence was 3.8%. There are about 22.3 pupils per teacher. Its intake is relatively advantaged, with around 5% of pupils eligible for free school meals in the last six years versus about 24% nationally. Blackthorns Community Primary Academy does not currently have a recent graded Ofsted judgement on record (often the case for newer or recently converted schools), so it is worth asking when its next inspection is expected. This overview is generated automatically from the latest published DfE performance tables and Ofsted data; figures are rounded, and you can check the originals via the official links above.