Schools by area › Brighton and Hove › Carden Nursery and Primary School
Carden Nursery and Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Community school
County Oak Avenue, Brighton BN1 8LU · carden.brighton-hove.sch.uk · 01273 916606
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Mar 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 50%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Brighton and Hove 60%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Reception, September 2026 entry · Brighton and Hove Council
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 359
- 85% of 420 places
- Local authority
- Brighton and Hove
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 37.9%
- First language not English
- 15.3%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Brighton and Hove Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 31 families put the school first and 32 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 32 | 31 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 39 | 35 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 40 | 38 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 27 | 27 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 45 | 45 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 50% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 5% the higher standard. Across Brighton and Hove it was 60%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▼50% | 62% | ||
| ▼5% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●105 | 106 | ||
| ▼102 | 105 | ||
| ●103 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Carden Nursery and Primary School on 3 March 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
- Achievement: Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
- Personal development and well-being: Strong standard
- Early years: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 3 Mar 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Strong standard |
| Early years | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Sept 2021
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Sept 2021Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Oct 2011Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Requires improvement Jan 2009Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Requires improvement
What parents said
100% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (61 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 100%
- Positive
- 90%
- Replies
- 61
- 17% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 79% who raised concerns
based on 8 parents (13%) whose child was bullied
based on 20 parents (33%) with SEND