Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School

Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School demonstrates a strong performance across all inspection areas, being rated as 'Good.' The school is noted for its highly inclusive environment, where pupils, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), feel well supported. The emphasis on building positive relationships among pupils and between staff helps create a happy and safe atmosphere conducive to learning. Leaders have worked hard to develop a well-designed curriculum that accommodates mixed-age classes, although some areas, particularly writing, required urgent improvement and are currently being addressed through curriculum changes. Strengths of the school include a dedicated commitment to reading, with pupils beginning phonics from their first week, and the fostering of strong personal development in students. Despite successes, areas for growth have been identified, such as the need for more targeted interactions in the early years to enhance vocabulary development and to ensure consistent implementation of the curriculum across all subjects. This inspection represents the first routine assessment of the school since the COVID-19 pandemic, which found the overall effectiveness of the school as good, continuing from its previous inspection grade.

Strengths

• Highly inclusive environment for pupils with SEND
• Strong focus on personal development and well-being
• Well-designed curriculum for mixed-age classes
• Positive relationships among pupils and staff
• Strong commitment to early reading and phonics
• Enthusiastic learning environment

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent implementation of the curriculum in a few subjects
• Missed opportunities to extend children's understanding in early years

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 Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School attended 94.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.6% 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 Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England 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 Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School had 11.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 35.0% 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, 16.7% of pupils at Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.6% 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 Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School received £15,086 and spent £16,227 for each of its 36 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £67,000 (£1,850 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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• Secondary Schools

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What is Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School have?

Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School has 36 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School cover?

Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 33% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School?

Ecchinswell and Sydmonton Church of England Primary School is at Ecchinswell, Newbury, Berkshire, RG20 4UA.