Voluntary aided school · Brighton and Hove

St Nicolas CofE Primary School

4–11Ages
416Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
114560URN

Locks Hill, Portslade, Brighton, BN41 2LA · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Nov 2022 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.4per place

0.9 below Brighton and Hove median (3.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Brighton and Hove

132 applications for 56 places · 31st of 39 in Brighton and Hove

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

59%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 · 15 November 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

Inspection history

15 November 2022
Graded inspection: Good
22 September 2021
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

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

2.4applications per place, Reception

0.9 below Brighton and Hove median (3.2) close to England median (2.2)

132 applications · 56 places offered · 51 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.4; Brighton and Hove median median 3.2
2025 2.3; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2024 2.4; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2023 2.6; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2022 2.3; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2021 2.6; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2020 2.4; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2019 2.7; Brighton and Hove median median 2.7
2018 2.9; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2017 2.4; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2016 2.2; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6
2015 2.1; Brighton and Hove median median 2.4
2014 1.8; Brighton and Hove median median 2.6

More applications per place than the Brighton and Hove median in 1 of 13 years.

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	56	132	2.4	51	0.91
Sep 2025	52	121	2.3	49	0.94
Sep 2024	54	132	2.4	51	0.94
Sep 2023	60	155	2.6	55	0.92
Sep 2022	60	138	2.3	48	0.80
Sep 2021	60	156	2.6	63	1.05
Sep 2020	60	143	2.4	54	0.90
Sep 2019	60	161	2.7	65	1.08
Sep 2018	50	145	2.9	45	0.90
Sep 2017	60	141	2.4	67	1.12
Sep 2016	58	129	2.2	51	0.88
Sep 2015	60	127	2.1	57	0.95
Sep 2014	60	106	1.8	32	0.53

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 73% · Writing 70% · Maths 73% → all three 59% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard59%20th of 41 in Brighton and Hove

Brighton and Hove 59% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard73%

Brighton and Hove 76% England 78%

Higher standard33%

Brighton and Hove 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard70%

Brighton and Hove 70% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Brighton and Hove 8% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard73%

Brighton and Hove 70% England 77%

Higher standard27%

Brighton and Hove 19% England 24%

Average scaled score 104 (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	59%	0%	105	104
2023/24	67%	4%	107	105
2022/23	45%	2%	104	103

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

St Nicolas CofE Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2022

2.4applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
Brackenbury Primary School
0.2 km · Brighton and Hove

2026

5.3applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
Peter Gladwin Primary School
0.5 km · Brighton and Hove

Standards maintained2024

4.0applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Benfield Primary School
0.6 km · Brighton and Hove

Remains Good2019

7.6applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
St Mary's Catholic Primary School
1.0 km · Brighton and Hove

Remains Good · improving2023

2.6applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Eastbrook Primary Academy
1.0 km · West Sussex

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.8applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Mile Oak Primary School
1.5 km · Brighton and Hove

Good2022

1.6applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Goldstone Primary School
1.6 km · Brighton and Hove

Remains Good2023

3.2applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Hangleton Primary School
1.6 km · Brighton and Hove

Good2024

3.3applications 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: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 114560 · 846/3333
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 436 pupils · 416 on roll
Free school meals: 18.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Locks Hill, Portslade, Brighton, BN41 2LA
Local authority: Brighton and Hove

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