North Wheatley Church of England Primary School

North Wheatley Church of England Primary School is a small church primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since 2015, when it was exempt because it had been judged outstanding. Under the current framework the school does not receive an overall effectiveness grade. The headteacher took up post in September 2024. Inspectors found the quality of education, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision to be good, with safeguarding effective. Behaviour and attitudes requires improvement. The curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced, teachers generally have strong subject knowledge and check pupils' learning carefully, and pupils with SEND are identified promptly and supported well. Early reading is improving, early years provision prepares children well, attendance systems are reducing persistent absence, and the personal development programme helps pupils understand health, relationships and respect. The main concern is behaviour: expectations are not applied consistently, pupils' conduct varies in lessons and around school, learning time is sometimes lost, and some pupils worry about their peers' behaviour during social times.

Strengths

• Ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum that builds pupils' knowledge over time
• Teachers generally have strong subject knowledge and check pupils' learning carefully
• Pupils recall important information well and make confident links across their learning
• Pupils with SEND are identified promptly and supported to access the curriculum and school life
• Most pupils with SEND achieve well from their starting points
• Staff are well trained to deliver the early reading programme and books are well matched to pupils' reading levels
• Early years provision develops children's independence, curiosity, language and social skills
• Attendance systems are improving and persistent absenteeism has reduced
• Personal development programme is well considered and pupils discuss health, relationships and respect confidently
• Pupils develop positive character traits such as collaboration and resilience
• Governors have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development
• Staff are proud to work at the school and feel their well-being is prioritised
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective
• Extra-curricular opportunities are adapted well so pupils, including those with SEND, can participate

Areas for Improvement

• Behaviour and attitudes require improvement
• Pupils' conduct varies in lessons and around school
• Behaviour expectations are not implemented routinely by staff
• Behaviour procedures are not used systematically, so learning time is lost
• Some pupils worry about their peers' behaviour during social times

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 North Wheatley Church of England Primary School attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.7% 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, 1.5% of pupils at North Wheatley Church of England Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 North Wheatley Church of England Primary School had 16.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.0% 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, 5.7% of pupils at North Wheatley Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.0% 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 North Wheatley Church of England Primary School received £8,931 and spent £9,580 for each of its 120 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £135,000 (£1,126 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 Retford · Nottinghamshire local authority: places and applications

What is North Wheatley Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for North Wheatley Church of England Primary School is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was North Wheatley Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

North Wheatley Church of England Primary School was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does North Wheatley Church of England Primary School have?

North Wheatley Church of England Primary School has 123 pupils on roll.

What age range does North Wheatley Church of England Primary School cover?

North Wheatley Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are North Wheatley Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 47% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is North Wheatley Church of England Primary School?

North Wheatley Church of England Primary School is at Sturton Road, South Wheatley, North Wheatley C of E Primary, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 9DH.