Farndon Primary School

Farndon Primary School is a warm and welcoming school where pupils feel safe, behave well and enjoy learning. Classrooms are calm and productive, staff address low-level disruption quickly, and pupils are polite and enthusiastic. The school has reviewed its curriculum since the previous inspection and, in most subjects, has set out the important knowledge pupils should learn and when. Teaching is generally delivered as intended, and recent improvements are helping current pupils achieve better, particularly in mathematics after weaker outcomes in 2024. Early reading is a notable strength: children in the early years make a strong start, phonics is taught well, and pupils who fall behind are supported to catch up quickly. Pupils with SEND are identified and supported effectively, attendance has improved, and personal development is promoted well through learning about British values, health, relationships and safety. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, and staff feel supported by leaders. The main areas for improvement are that a few subjects are still developing their curriculum content, and some pupils have gaps in knowledge from the previous curriculum that slow their progress. Governors are committed but do not yet have a full and accurate picture of pupils’ achievement, which limits their ability to challenge and support leaders. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe and staff build trusting relationships with families
• Pupils behave well and classrooms are calm and productive
• Pupils are polite, enthusiastic and appreciate staff support
• The curriculum has been reviewed and most subjects set out key knowledge
• Teachers present learning clearly and check understanding routinely
• Early reading and phonics are taught well, with effective catch-up support
• Pupils with SEND are identified and supported effectively
• Teachers adapt activities skilfully so all pupils can learn alongside peers
• Attendance has improved and persistent absence has reduced
• Personal development promotes British values, health, relationships and safety
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective
• Staff feel leaders are mindful of workload and well-being
• Pupils access extra-curricular clubs and fundraising opportunities

Areas for Improvement

• A few subjects are still in development and have not finalised the knowledge and skills pupils should learn
• Some pupils have gaps in knowledge from the previous curriculum, which slows their progress through new learning
• Governors do not have a full and accurate picture of pupils’ achievement, limiting their challenge and support

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 Farndon Primary School attended 95.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.6% 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 Farndon 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 Farndon Primary School had 19.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.8% 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, 3.5% of pupils at Farndon Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.6% 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 Farndon Primary School received £6,273 and spent £6,299 for each of its 313 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £70,000 (£223 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 Chester · Cheshire West and Chester local authority: places and applications

What is Farndon Primary School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Farndon Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Farndon Primary School was last inspected in April 2025.

How many pupils does Farndon Primary School have?

Farndon Primary School has 313 pupils on roll.

What age range does Farndon Primary School cover?

Farndon Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 50% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Farndon Primary School?

Farndon Primary School is at Churton Road, Farndon, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 6QP.