Falkland Primary School

Falkland Primary School is a maintained primary school in Newbury that was judged effective across all inspected areas: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it remains a good school by its previous inspection grade, although no overall effectiveness grade is given under the current framework. Pupils are happy, respectful and feel part of a family, with strong relationships with adults and effective safeguarding. The curriculum is well sequenced across subjects, reading is a clear priority, pupils with SEND are identified and supported well, behaviour and attendance are strong, and children thrive in the early years. Leaders, governors and staff work effectively together, and parents are supportive. The main area for improvement is that the school’s pedagogical approaches are not yet embedded consistently across all subjects. As a result, some pupils, including some of the most vulnerable, do not achieve as well as they could; the school should ensure consistent teaching approaches support all pupils to achieve well.

Strengths

• Pupils feel part of a family and are proud, respectful and enthusiastic about school.
• Strong relationships between pupils and adults help pupils feel safe and trusted.
• The curriculum is well sequenced in all subjects from early years through Year 6.
• Subject leaders take responsibility for their curriculum and support staff subject knowledge.
• Pupils with SEND are identified effectively and receive appropriate classroom support.
• The school has very strong processes to support pupils who struggle emotionally.
• Reading is a priority, with effective phonics teaching and reading interventions.
• Behaviour is strong, with high expectations and skilful pastoral support when needed.
• Attendance is high, supported by well-planned processes and strong relationships with parents.
• Children thrive in the early years provision and are well prepared for key stage 1.
• Personal development is well considered, with an adapted PSHE curriculum and enriching trips and visitors.
• Leaders accurately identify strengths and areas for development, and governors challenge effectively.
• Staff appreciate the school’s consideration of workload and well-being.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• Pedagogical approaches are not embedded consistently, so some pupils, including vulnerable pupils, do not achieve as well as they could.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Falkland Primary School attended 95.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.7% of pupils at Falkland Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Falkland Primary School had 20.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 16.6% of pupils at Falkland Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Falkland Primary School received £6,126 and spent £6,020 for each of its 422 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £141,000 (£333 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Newbury · West Berkshire local authority: places and applications

What is Falkland Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Falkland Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was Falkland Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Falkland Primary School was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does Falkland Primary School have?

Falkland Primary School has 422 pupils on roll.

What age range does Falkland Primary School cover?

Falkland Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Falkland Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Falkland Primary School?

Falkland Primary School is at Andover Road, Wash Common, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 6NU.