When should a child begin to train, and why the old fear was wrong
Most parents think lifting weights is dangerous for children. Twenty years of paediatric consensus disagree, and the reason has more to do with the nervous system than with muscle.
Your area
Children in West Sussex
How children here are doing, from the 2-year check to the end of primary school, set against England as a whole.
Health and early years
At a glance
| Measure | West Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|
| On track in all five areas at the 2 to 2½ year review 2024/25 similar | 81.2% | 81.4% |
| Good level of development at the end of Reception 2024/25 similar | 67.8% | 68.3% |
| Phonics check met in Year 1 2024/25 similar | 79.2% | 79.8% |
| Reception children living with obesity 2024/25 lower | 8.9% | 10.5% |
| Year 6 children living with obesity 2024/25 lower | 18.4% | 22.2% |
| MMR first dose by age 2 2024/25 higher | 92.1% | 88.9% |
| MMR two doses by age 5 2024/25 higher | 87.8% | 83.7% |
| Babies breastfed at 6 to 8 weeks 2024/25 higher | 61.2% | 55.6% |
| Primary pupils persistently absent 2024/25 lower | 11.7% | 13.0% |
| Children in relative low-income families (under 16) 2024/25 lower | 12.8% | 19.8% |
“Higher” or “lower” means the difference from England is bigger than the margin of error; “similar” means it isn’t. These are figures for all children in the council area, not for any one school or child.
End of primary school
Year 6 reading, writing and maths
| Year | West Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|
| 2018/19 | 63% | 65% |
| 2021/22 | 56% | 59% |
| 2022/23 | 56% | 60% |
| 2023/24 | 57% | 61% |
| 2024/25 | 60% | 63% |
| 2025/26 | 60% | 63% |
Share of pupils in state-funded schools meeting the expected standard in all three. 2025/26 figures are provisional. There were no tests in 2019/20 or 2020/21.
Schools
Primary schools in West Sussex
229 schools
- Albourne Church of England Primary School Hassocks
- Aldingbourne Primary School Chichester
- All Saints CofE Primary School, Horsham Horsham
- Amberley CofE Primary School Arundel
- Arundel CofE Primary School Arundel
- Arunside School, Horsham Horsham
- Ashington CofE Primary School Pulborough
- Ashurst CofE Primary School Steyning
- Ashurst Wood Primary School East Grinstead
- Balcombe Cofe Primary School Haywards Heath
- Baldwins Hill Primary School, East Grinstead East Grinstead
- Barnham Primary School Bognor Regis
- Barns Green Primary School Horsham
- Bartons Primary School, Bognor Regis Bognor Regis
- Bersted Green Primary School, Bognor Regis Bognor Regis
- Billingshurst Primary Academy Billingshurst
- Birchwood Grove Community Primary School, Burgess Hill Burgess Hill
- Birdham CE Primary School Chichester
- Bishop Tufnell CofE Primary School, Felpham Bognor Regis
- Blackthorns Community Primary Academy Haywards Heath
- Blackwell Primary School East Grinstead
- Bohunt Horsham Horsham
- Bolney CofE Primary School Haywards Heath
- Bolnore Village Primary School Haywards Heath
- Bosham Primary School Chichester
- Boxgrove CofE Primary School Chichester
- Bramber Primary School Worthing
- Broadfield Primary Academy Crawley
- Broadwater CofE Primary School Worthing
- Brook Infant School and Nursery Crawley
- Buckingham Park Primary School Shoreham-by-Sea
- Bury CofE Primary School Pulborough
- Camelsdale Primary School Haslemere
- Castlewood Primary School Horsham
- Chichester Free School Chichester
- Chidham Parochial Primary School Chichester
- Clapham and Patching CofE Primary School Worthing
- Colgate Primary School Horsham
- Compton and Up Marden CofE Primary School Chichester
- Copthorne CofE Junior School Copthorne
- Crawley Down Village CofE School Crawley
- Desmond Anderson Primary Academy Crawley
- Downsbrook Primary School Worthing
- Downview Primary School Bognor Regis
- Duncton CofE Junior School Petworth
- Durrington Infant School Worthing
- Durrington Junior School Worthing
- Easebourne CofE Primary School Midhurst
- East Preston Infant School Littlehampton
- East Preston Junior School Littlehampton
- East Wittering Community Primary School Chichester
- Eastbrook Primary Academy Brighton
- Eastergate CofE Primary School Chichester
- Edward Bryant School Bognor Regis
- Elm Grove Primary School, Worthing Worthing
- English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, Worthing Worthing
- Estcots Primary School East Grinstead
- Fairway Infant School, Copthorne Crawley
- Fernhurst Primary School Haslemere
- Ferring C of E Primary School Worthing
- Fishbourne CofE Primary School Chichester
- Fittleworth CofE Village School Fittleworth
- Forge Wood Primary School Crawley
- Funtington Primary School Chichester
- Georgian Gardens Community Primary School Littlehampton
- Glebe Primary School Brighton
- Goring-By-Sea CofE (Aided) Primary School Worthing
- Gossops Green Primary Crawley
- Graffham Church of England Infant School (Voluntary Controlled) Petworth
- Greenway Junior School Horsham
- Halsford Park Primary School East Grinstead
- Handcross Primary School Haywards Heath
- Harlands Primary School Haywards Heath
- Harting CofE Primary School South Harting
- Hassocks Infant School Hassocks
- Hawthorns Primary School Worthing
- Heene CofE Primary School Worthing
- Heron Way Primary School Horsham
- Hilltop Primary School Crawley
- Holbrook Primary School Horsham
- Hollycombe Primary School Liphook
- Holmbush Primary Academy Shoreham-by-Sea
- Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, Cuckfield Haywards Heath
- Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Lower Beeding Horsham
- Homefield Primary School and SSC Worthing
- Jessie Younghusband Primary School Chichester
- Jolesfield CofE Primary School Horsham
- Kilnwood Vale Primary School Horsham
- Kingsham Primary School Chichester
- Kingslea Primary School Horsham
- Langley Green Primary Crawley
- Lavant Primary School Chichester
- Leechpool Primary School Horsham
- Lindfield Primary Academy Haywards Heath
- London Meed Community Primary School Burgess Hill
- Loxwood Primary School Billingshurst
- Lyminster Primary School Littlehampton
- Maidenbower Infant School and Nursery Crawley
- Maidenbower Junior School Crawley
- Medmerry Primary School Chichester
- Midhurst CofE Primary School Midhurst
- Milton Mount Primary School Crawley
- North Heath Community Primary School Horsham
- North Lancing Primary School Lancing
- North Mundham Primary School Chichester
- Northchapel Community Primary School Petworth
- Northgate Primary School Crawley
- Northlands Wood Primary Academy Haywards Heath
- Nyewood CofE Infant School Bognor Regis
- Nyewood CofE Junior School Bognor Regis
- Oak Tree Primary School Burgess Hill
- Oakfields Primary School, Horsham Horsham
- Orchards Infant School Worthing
- Orchards Junior School Worthing
- Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Primary School Crawley
- Parklands Community Primary School Chichester
- Petworth Cof E Primary School Petworth
- Plaistow and Kirdford Primary School Billingshurst
- Portfield Primary Academy West Sussex
- Pound Hill Infant Academy Crawley
- Pound Hill Junior School, Crawley Crawley
- Rake CofE Primary School Liss
- River Beach Primary School Littlehampton
- Rogate CofE Primary School Petersfield
- Rose Green Infant School Bognor Regis
- Rose Green Junior School Bognor Regis
- Rudgwick Primary School Horsham
- Rumboldswhyke CofE Primary School Chichester
- Rusper Primary School Horsham
- Rustington Community Primary School Littlehampton
- Seal Primary Academy Selsey
- Seaside Primary School Lancing
- Seymour Primary School Crawley
- Sheddingdean Community Primary School Burgess Hill
- Shelley Primary School Horsham
- Shipley CofE Primary School Horsham
- Shoreham Beach Primary School Shoreham-by-Sea
- Sidlesham Primary School Chichester
- Singleton CofE Primary School Singleton
- Slindon CofE Primary School Arundel
- Slinfold CofE Primary School and Pre School Horsham
- Sompting Village Primary School Lancing
- South Bersted CofE Primary School Bognor Regis
- Southbourne Infant School Emsworth
- Southbourne Junior School Emsworth
- Southgate Primary Crawley
- Southwater Infant Academy Horsham
- Southwater Junior Academy Horsham
- Southway Junior School Burgess Hill
- Southway Primary School Bognor Regis
- Springfield Infant School and Nursery Worthing
- St Andrew's CofE Primary School Horsham
- St Andrew's CofE Primary School Crawley
- St Augustine's CofE Primary School Haywards Heath
- St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Littlehampton Littlehampton
- St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, Crawley Crawley
- St Giles CofE Primary School Haywards Heath
- St James' CofE Primary School, Coldwaltham Pulborough
- St John the Baptist CofE Primary School Worthing
- St John's Catholic Primary School Horsham
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Haywards Heath
- St Lawrence CofE Primary School Hassocks
- St Margaret's Church of England Primary School Crawley
- St Margaret's CofE Primary School Littlehampton
- St Mary's Catholic Primary School Bognor Regis
- St Mary's Catholic Primary School Worthing
- St Mary's Church of England Primary School Pulborough
- St Mary's Church of England Primary School, East Grinstead East Grinstead
- St Mary's CofE (Aided) Primary School Horsham
- St Mary's CofE Primary School Pulborough
- St Mary's CofE Primary School Littlehampton
- St Nicolas & St Mary CofE Primary School Shoreham-by-Sea
- St Peter's Catholic Primary School East Grinstead
- St Peter's Catholic Primary School Shoreham-by-Sea
- St Peter's CofE (Aided) Primary School Horsham
- St Peter's CofE Primary School Haywards Heath
- St Peter's CofE Primary School Henfield
- St Philip's Catholic Primary School Arundel
- St Richard's Catholic Primary School Chichester
- St Robert Southwell Catholic Primary School, Horsham Horsham
- St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School Burgess Hill
- St Wilfrid's CofE Primary School Haywards Heath
- St Wilfrids Catholic Primary School Littlehampton
- St. Joseph's CofE Junior School Chichester
- St. Joseph's Infant School Chichester
- St. Mark's CofE Primary School Haywards Heath
- Stedham Primary School Midhurst
- Steyning CofE Primary School Steyning
- Storrington Primary School Pulborough
- Summerlea Community Primary School Littlehampton
- Swiss Gardens Primary School Shoreham-by-Sea
- Tangmere Primary Academy Chichester
- Thakeham Primary School Pulborough
- The Bewbush Academy Crawley
- The Gattons Infant School Burgess Hill
- The Gatwick School Crawley
- The Globe Primary Academy Lancing
- The Laurels Primary School, Worthing Worthing
- The March CofE Primary School Chichester
- The Meads Primary School East Grinstead
- The Mill Primary Academy Crawley
- The Oaks Primary School & Nursery Crawley
- The Windmills Junior School Hassocks
- Thomas A Becket Infant School Worthing
- Thomas A Becket Junior School Worthing
- Thorney Island Community Primary School Emsworth
- Three Bridges Primary School Crawley
- Trafalgar Community Infant School Horsham
- Turners Hill Church of England Primary School Crawley
- Twineham CofE Primary School Haywards Heath
- Upper Beeding Primary School Steyning
- Vale School, Worthing Worthing
- Walberton and Binsted CofE Primary School Arundel
- Warden Park Primary Academy Haywards Heath
- Warnham CofE Primary School Horsham
- Waterfield Primary School Crawley
- West Chiltington Community Primary School Pulborough
- West Dean CofE Primary School Chichester
- West Green Primary School Crawley
- West Hoathly CofE Primary School Select
- West Park CofE Primary (Controlled) School Worthing
- West Wittering Parochial Church of England School Chichester
- Westbourne Primary School Emsworth
- White Meadows Primary Academy Littlehampton
- Whytemead Primary School Worthing
- William Penn School Horsham
- Wisborough Green Primary School Billingshurst
- Woodgate Primary Academy Crawley
- Yapton CE Primary School Arundel