Voluntary controlled school · East Sussex

Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary School

5–11Ages
379Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
114496URN

Sheepsetting Lane, Cross in Hand, Cross-in-Hand School, Heathfield, TN21 0XG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Apr 2022 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.5per place

0.7 below East Sussex median (2.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in East Sussex

81 applications for 54 places · 93rd of 105 in East Sussex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

70%met the expected standard

East Sussex 64% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 20 April 2022Ofsted'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

1.5applications per place, Reception

0.7 below East Sussex median (2.2) 0.7 below England median (2.2)

81 applications · 54 places offered · 41 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.5; East Sussex median median 2.2
2025 1.5; East Sussex median median 2.2
2024 1.6; East Sussex median median 1.9
2023 1.6; East Sussex median median 2.0
2022 1.4; East Sussex median median 2.0
2021 1.4; East Sussex median median 1.9
2020 1.3; East Sussex median median 2.0
2019 1.3; East Sussex median median 1.9
2018 1.3; East Sussex median median 1.9
2017 1.4; East Sussex median median 2.0
2016 1.4; East Sussex median median 1.8
2015 1.5; East Sussex median median 1.7
2014 1.4; East Sussex median median 1.8

More applications per place than the East Sussex median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
East Sussex 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	54	81	1.5	41	0.76
Sep 2025	57	84	1.5	46	0.81
Sep 2024	41	66	1.6	37	0.90
Sep 2023	40	64	1.6	39	0.98
Sep 2022	60	83	1.4	48	0.80
Sep 2021	52	75	1.4	41	0.79
Sep 2020	60	76	1.3	49	0.82
Sep 2019	54	70	1.3	34	0.63
Sep 2018	38	51	1.3	34	0.89
Sep 2017	35	50	1.4	24	0.69
Sep 2016	33	46	1.4	31	0.94
Sep 2015	42	63	1.5	39	0.93
Sep 2014	35	49	1.4	32	0.91

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 75% · Writing 73% · Maths 80% → all three 70% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard70%39th of 129 in East Sussex

East Sussex 64% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard75%

East Sussex 78% England 78%

Higher standard39%

East Sussex 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard73%

East Sussex 76% England 75%

Greater depth4%

East Sussex 10% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard80%

East Sussex 75% England 77%

Higher standard38%

East Sussex 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

This school
East Sussex median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	70%	4%	107	107
2023/24	60%	4%	104	104
2022/23	71%	4%	108	105

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

Cross-in-Hand Church of England Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2022

1.5applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Parkside Community Primary School
1.7 km · East Sussex

2026

2.7applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
All Saints' and St Richard's Church of England Primary School
2.4 km · East Sussex

2026

2.8applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Maynards Green Community Primary School
2.7 km · East Sussex

Standards maintained2025

2.2applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Five Ashes CofE Primary School
4.1 km · East Sussex

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.3applications per place 82%met the SATs standard
Punnetts Town Community Primary School and Nursery
4.4 km · East Sussex

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.7applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Blackboys Church of England Primary School
5.4 km · East Sussex

Standards maintained2025

2.1applications per place 82%met the SATs standard
St Mark's Church of England Primary School
5.4 km · East Sussex

Graded · no overall grade2025

3.3applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Mayfield Church of England Primary School
6.0 km · East Sussex

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.8applications per place 60%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: Voluntary controlled school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 114496 · 845/3015
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 420 pupils · 379 on roll
Free school meals: 12.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Sheepsetting Lane, Cross in Hand, Cross-in-Hand School, Heathfield, TN21 0XG
Local authority: East Sussex · Wealden

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