Community school · Brighton and Hove

Balfour Primary School

4–11Ages
695Pupils
PrimaryPhase
114382URN

Balfour Road, Brighton, BN1 6NE · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Dec 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.3per place

close to Brighton and Hove median (3.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Brighton and Hove

301 applications for 90 places · 14th of 39 in Brighton and Hove

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

71%met the expected standard

Brighton and Hove 59% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 6 December 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

3.3applications per place, Reception

close to Brighton and Hove median (3.2) 1.1 above England median (2.2)

301 applications · 90 places offered · 119 named it first

2026 3.3; Brighton and Hove median median 3.2
2025 2.9; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2024 2.6; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2023 2.8; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2022 2.6; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2021 2.7; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2020 2.6; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2019 2.6; Brighton and Hove median median 2.7
2018 3.4; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2017 2.7; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2016 3.1; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2015 3.2; Brighton and Hove median median 2.4
2014 3.2; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6

This school
Brighton and Hove median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	90	301	3.3	119	1.32
Sep 2025	90	259	2.9	98	1.09
Sep 2024	79	204	2.6	69	0.87
Sep 2023	76	210	2.8	75	0.99
Sep 2022	90	231	2.6	85	0.94
Sep 2021	82	223	2.7	67	0.82
Sep 2020	100	264	2.6	89	0.89
Sep 2019	107	275	2.6	98	0.92
Sep 2018	90	302	3.4	86	0.96
Sep 2017	120	321	2.7	122	1.02
Sep 2016	120	372	3.1	147	1.23
Sep 2015	119	378	3.2	143	1.20
Sep 2014	120	382	3.2	133	1.11

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 87% · Writing 78% · Maths 84% → all three 71% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard71%8th of 41 in Brighton and Hove

Brighton and Hove 59% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard87%

Brighton and Hove 76% England 78%

Higher standard41%

Brighton and Hove 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard78%

Brighton and Hove 70% England 75%

Greater depth11%

Brighton and Hove 8% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard84%

Brighton and Hove 70% England 77%

Higher standard30%

Brighton and Hove 19% England 24%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Brighton and Hove median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	71%	10%	107	106
2023/24	66%	5%	108	106
2022/23	68%	14%	108	106

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Balfour Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

3.3applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
0.8 km · Brighton and Hove

2026

4.7applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Downs Junior School
1.0 km · Brighton and Hove

Good2023

60%met the SATs standard
Hertford Primary School
1.1 km · Brighton and Hove

Graded · no overall grade2025

4.4applications per place 44%met the SATs standard
Downs Infant School
1.2 km · Brighton and Hove

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.1applications per place
Stanford Primary School
1.4 km · Brighton and Hove

Good2022

3.3applications per place
Patcham Infant School
1.6 km · Brighton and Hove

Good2022

2.0applications per place
St Martin's CofE Primary School
1.7 km · Brighton and Hove

Good2024

2.9applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Fairlight Primary School
1.8 km · Brighton and Hove

Remains Good · improving2024

4.3applications per place 51%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 114382 · 846/2040
Capacity: 718 pupils · 695 on roll
Free school meals: 10.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Replaced: Balfour Junior School (URN 114361)
Address: Balfour Road, Brighton, BN1 6NE
Local authority: Brighton and Hove

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources