Balfour Primary School Review 2026: High-attaining Brighton primary with a strong sense of pupil voice

Balfour Primary School is a large, central Brighton primary where academic standards and a deliberately inclusive culture sit side by side. The latest Ofsted inspection (December 2023) confirmed a Good judgement across all key areas, with early years also graded Good.

Results data paints a school performing above the England picture at Key Stage 2. In 2024, 78.67% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, versus an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 28% achieved greater depth across reading, writing and maths, compared with 8% nationally. (These are FindMySchool rankings and outcomes based on official data.)

Leadership is stable. Headteacher Alan Gunn has been in post since September 2022, giving the school a clear recent “chapter” to assess.

This is a school that takes “belonging” seriously, not as a slogan but as a set of routines and roles that are visible in daily life. Pupils are given formal responsibility through a pupil parliament, and the wider leadership offer includes structured roles such as play leaders.

The values language is consistent and easy for children to use. Ofsted describes pupils living out the school’s values of being reflective, respectful, responsible and resilient, and that framing matters for parents because it signals a behaviour culture built on shared norms rather than ad hoc sanctions.

Balfour’s scale is a feature. With a published capacity of 724 pupils, it has the feel of a “big primary” with the opportunities that come with it, including a broad after-school marketplace and large-scale performance experiences. The trade-off is that families who prefer a small village-school feel may need to work harder, early on, to build relationships and find their “people”.

There is also a strong outward-looking thread. Pupils take part in local events, including city performance showcases and parades, which helps children feel like Brighton is part of the curriculum rather than something that begins after Year 6.

Balfour’s 2024 Key Stage 2 outcomes place it comfortably above the England averages across the headline measures. The key metric is the combined expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Here, 78.67% reached the expected standard, compared with an England average of 62%. That gap matters because it usually translates into more pupils entering secondary ready to access age-appropriate content without remediation.

The higher standard is also worth attention. At 28% achieving greater depth in reading, writing and maths, Balfour is well above the England benchmark of 8%. For parents, that is the difference between “doing well” and “being stretched”, particularly for pupils who need depth rather than speed.

Scaled scores add detail to the headline. Reading and grammar, punctuation and spelling are both at 108 on average, with maths at 106. In practice, this suggests strength in literacy fundamentals alongside solid numeracy, rather than a spiky profile.

Rankings provide another lens. Ranked 2922nd in England and 3rd in Brighton for primary outcomes, Balfour sits above the England average and comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England. (These are proprietary FindMySchool rankings based on official data.)

Parents comparing options locally can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to view these measures side-by-side, particularly useful in Brighton where schools can have very different profiles even within a short distance.

Curriculum ambition is a consistent theme in the school’s public narrative, and it is echoed by external evaluation. The most recent inspection notes a well-structured curriculum where knowledge is developed in logical steps, which is the kind of statement that typically correlates with clear sequencing, explicit vocabulary teaching, and better long-term retention.

The early years approach is explicitly play-based, using continuous provision and carefully resourced environments, with adults acting as facilitators who intervene to extend learning. For families, the implication is that Reception is likely to feel purposeful but not formalised too early.

A distinctive element is Nature School. This is presented as an integrated part of the curriculum for ages 4 to 11, designed to offer hands-on learning outside the classroom and support engagement, including for vulnerable pupils. The practical examples matter more than the headline: kitchen-garden work, making and testing materials, and structured work around outdoor skills, all of which create authentic writing and science opportunities without forcing them.

For a Brighton primary, transition is always shaped by local authority admissions and by the fact that families’ secondary preferences can vary widely by address, travel patterns, and a child’s needs. What Balfour can control is preparation, and the school explicitly treats Year 6 transition as a priority.

Evidence from governing-body minutes shows a specific transition project running with Dorothy Stringer and Varndean secondary schools, which suggests a deliberate effort to smooth the Year 6 to Year 7 handover with neighbouring settings.

At pupil level, the Year 6 communications reference transition days and the practicalities of preparing children for September, which indicates that transition is not treated as an administrative afterthought.

If you are shortlisting, it is sensible to map likely secondary routes early. Brighton secondary catchments and admission patterns can shift, so families should sanity-check assumptions each year.

This is a Brighton and Hove local authority admissions school for Reception entry, not a “direct application to the head” model. The school’s own admissions page is clear that arrangements at age 4+ are made by the council.

Demand is real. In the latest available figures, there were 259 Reception applications for 90 offers, indicating an oversubscribed picture overall (2.88 applications per place). First-preference demand is also strong, with a first-preference ratio of 1.2 relative to offers. For parents, the implication is straightforward: you should treat Balfour as competitive and plan contingencies.

Key dates for September 2026 Reception entry in Brighton and Hove are published by the council. Applications open on 1 September 2025, the deadline is 15 January 2026, and National Offer Day is 16 April 2026, with an acceptance deadline of 30 April 2026.

The school also sets out what the start of Reception typically looks like, including early meetings with staff and a phased start before full-time attendance.

Parents who are relying on geography should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their distance precisely. Even where distance does not appear in the published figures here, proximity-based allocation can still be relevant in oversubscribed contexts.

The most helpful pastoral indicator is not marketing language, it is whether pupils feel safe and whether adults resolve issues promptly. The latest inspection describes warm relationships across the school and adults being readily available to sort problems quickly, which links directly to day-to-day wellbeing for primary-age children.

Safeguarding is treated as a formal system, with a named Designated Safeguarding Lead and clear signposting to local authority support routes for families. (For obvious reasons, parents should expect that safeguarding details and contact routes can change, and should always check the school’s current published information.)

Personal development is not left to assemblies. The school frames PSHE as building the knowledge and skills pupils need to manage challenges, maintain healthy relationships, and keep themselves safe, which matters for parents who want a clear wellbeing curriculum rather than a reactive approach.

Balfour’s extracurricular picture is unusually specific for a state primary because so much is scheduled and published clearly.

Music is a genuine pillar

The school’s music plan describes lunchtime clubs including Boomwhacker, Choir, Samba and Orchestra, with performance opportunities across the year. For pupils, that is not just “music is available”, it is regular rehearsal culture, teamwork, and the confidence that comes from public performance.

Sport and activity are wide-ranging

The club list includes early-morning options (for example basketball for Key Stage 2) and multiple after-school pathways. Examples include football and futsal academies, cricket, gymnastics, fencing, and cheerleading. The implication for families is practical: there are credible options for both “burn energy after school” and “develop a skill over time”, without needing to leave the site immediately at pick-up.

Creative and STEM options show up in the detail

The published list includes activities such as Silverbox Comic Club, animation, fashion club, Young Engineers, and MTech. These matter because they signal that enrichment is not limited to sport and performance; it also supports design, making and problem-solving.

Pupil voice is structured, not symbolic

The pupil parliament is set up to incorporate roles linked to school council-style work, eco activity, and rights-respecting focus, with elected class MPs. The benefit is that pupils practise leadership in a way that is age-appropriate but still real.

School hours are clearly set out. Key Stage 1 runs 8.50am to 3.15pm; Key Stage 2 runs 8.55am to 3.20pm.

Wraparound is available in multiple formats. Breakfast club runs from 7.30am, and there is after-school childcare provision, including a school-run option for Key Stage 1 until 5.30pm on Monday to Thursday during term time.

On travel, the school encourages sustainable options and references local safer-parking guidance. Parents should expect pick-up and drop-off pressure on surrounding streets, common for a large city primary, and plan routines accordingly.

• Competition for places. With 259 applications for 90 Reception offers in the latest figures, this is not a “leave it late” school. Have a realistic Plan B and know your key dates.

• Scale cuts both ways. A large, popular primary can offer breadth, but it can feel busy. Shyer children may need extra support early on to find their friendship group and routines.

• Enrichment can create logistical pressure. The club menu is a plus, but it can also create a “packed week” culture. Some families will want to be deliberate about downtime.

Balfour Primary School combines above-England-average Key Stage 2 outcomes with an inclusive culture where pupil voice, outdoor learning, and structured enrichment are not optional extras. It suits families who want a high-performing state primary in central Brighton and who value a school that takes personal development seriously alongside academic fundamentals.

The limiting factor is admission. For families who secure a place, the day-to-day offer is broad, well-organised, and clearly communicated.