Loudwater Combined School

Loudwater Combined School is performing well overall, achieving a good rating across all areas of inspection. The school demonstrates a strong commitment to ensuring all pupils are well-prepared for their next educational stages. Notable strengths include high standards in reading and writing, a supportive environment fostering positive relationships, and effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs. The school continues to build on improvements since its previous inspection and has robust systems for attendance and safeguarding.

Strengths

• High expectations for pupil learning in key stage 2.
• Effective curriculum support for disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND.
• Strong personal, social, and health education curriculum.
• Robust approach to phonics and early reading that helps pupils catch up quickly.
• Extensive opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent subject expertise among staff in some areas.
• Some early years activities are not meaningful enough for children.

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 Loudwater Combined School attended 93.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.5% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Loudwater Combined 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 Loudwater Combined School had 18.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 3.8% 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, 7.0% of pupils at Loudwater Combined School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.0% 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 Loudwater Combined School received £7,305 and spent £7,380 for each of its 200 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £31,000 (-£155 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 High Wycombe · Buckinghamshire local authority: places and applications

What is Loudwater Combined School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Loudwater Combined School is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Loudwater Combined School last inspected by Ofsted?

Loudwater Combined School was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Loudwater Combined School have?

Loudwater Combined School has 200 pupils on roll.

What age range does Loudwater Combined School cover?

Loudwater Combined School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Loudwater Combined School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Loudwater Combined School?

Loudwater Combined School is at School Way, Kingsmead Road, Loudwater Combined School, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP11 1JJ.