William Westley Church of England VC Primary School

William Westley Church of England VC Primary School is a happy, well-run primary school where pupils are polite, kind and highly respectful. Behaviour is a standout strength: pupils concentrate well, attendance is high, and older pupils take care of younger children. The curriculum is broad and logically sequenced from Reception to Year 6, teachers generally explain and model knowledge confidently, and pupils with SEND are accurately identified and well supported. Reading is a particular focus, with a new phonics scheme helping most pupils become confident readers quickly. Personal development is strong, especially pupils' understanding of beliefs, cultures and respect for difference, and safeguarding is effective. The main area for improvement is that teaching does not consistently stretch pupils who arrive with strong prior knowledge, skills or experience. In some lessons, tasks are too easy, so the quality of some pupils' work does not reflect what they are capable of achieving. The school also needs to improve how it oversees participation in extra-curricular activities for disadvantaged pupils, whose involvement is inconsistent, and some information for parents about accessing activities is not always clear. Communication with parents is generally very positive but could benefit from review in some aspects. This was the school's first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was carried out as a graded inspection under section 5. The school remains good overall across quality of education, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision, with behaviour and attitudes judged outstanding. The headteacher joined in January 2022, and leaders and governors have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and development areas.

Strengths

• Pupils' behaviour is exemplary, polite and kind.
• Older pupils take care of and look after younger children.
• Pupils are happy, respectful and enjoy coming to school.
• Attendance is high and inappropriate behaviour is extremely rare.
• The curriculum is broad and logically sequenced from Reception to Year 6.
• Teachers deliver the curriculum confidently with strong subject knowledge.
• The new phonics scheme is well led and helps most pupils become confident readers.
• Pupils with SEND are accurately identified and well supported in lessons.
• Personal development is strong, especially learning about beliefs and cultures.
• Extra-curricular activities are open to and enjoyed by many pupils.
• Leaders and governors have an accurate knowledge of the school's strengths and areas for development.
• Relationships with parents are extremely positive.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
• Reception children quickly learn to take turns and share, preparing them well for Year 1.

Areas for Improvement

• Teachers do not always adapt learning for pupils with high prior knowledge, skills or experience.
• Some learning activities are too easy and do not help pupils deepen or extend their understanding.
• The quality of some pupils' work does not always reflect what they are capable of achieving.
• Disadvantaged pupils' participation in extra-curricular activities is inconsistent.
• Information for parents about accessing extra-curricular activities is not always clear.
• Some aspects of communication with parents could benefit from review.

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 William Westley Church of England VC Primary School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.2% 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 William Westley Church of England VC 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 William Westley Church of England VC Primary School had 21.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 2.2% 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, 20.0% of pupils at William Westley Church of England VC Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.7% 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 William Westley Church of England VC Primary School received £6,863 and spent £6,895 for each of its 185 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £80,000 (£430 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).

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What is William Westley Church of England VC Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for William Westley Church of England VC Primary School is Good, from an inspection in December 2024.

When was William Westley Church of England VC Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

William Westley Church of England VC Primary School was last inspected in December 2024.

How many pupils does William Westley Church of England VC Primary School have?

William Westley Church of England VC Primary School has 185 pupils on roll.

What age range does William Westley Church of England VC Primary School cover?

William Westley Church of England VC Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are William Westley Church of England VC Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is William Westley Church of England VC Primary School?

William Westley Church of England VC Primary School is at Mill Lane, Whittlesford, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB22 4NE.