RAF Benson Community Primary School

RAF Benson Community Primary School has made significant improvements since its last inspection, now achieving a 'Good' overall effectiveness rating. The school is characterized by its welcoming environment where pupils feel safe and happy, and their exemplary behaviour reflects the school's high expectations. Leaders have ambitious goals for pupil achievement, ensuring that all students are supported effectively, even with high mobility rates. The provision for early years is particularly strong, demonstrating exceptional outcomes and a rich curriculum that enhances pupils' broader development.

Strengths

• Exceptional early years provision with a focus on vocabulary and independent learning.
• Strong community support for pupils, especially during parental deployment.
• Outstanding behaviour and attitudes of pupils.
• Effective phonics teaching that helps pupils keep up.
• High levels of pupil attendance.
• Engaging curriculum that promotes diversity and enriches student learning.

Areas for Improvement

• Need for improved checks on pupils' understanding in foundation subjects.
• Some gaps in knowledge retention in key stages, particularly in mathematics.

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 RAF Benson Community Primary School attended 96.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.0% 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 RAF Benson Community 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 RAF Benson Community Primary School had 17.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 28.2% 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, 11.4% of pupils at RAF Benson Community Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.3% 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 RAF Benson Community Primary School received £8,160 and spent £8,299 for each of its 123 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £2,000 (-£16 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 Wallingford · Oxfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is RAF Benson Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for RAF Benson Community Primary School is Good, from an inspection in April 2024.

When was RAF Benson Community Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

RAF Benson Community Primary School was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does RAF Benson Community Primary School have?

RAF Benson Community Primary School has 123 pupils on roll.

What age range does RAF Benson Community Primary School cover?

RAF Benson Community Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are RAF Benson Community Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 94% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is RAF Benson Community Primary School?

RAF Benson Community Primary School is at RAF Benson, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 6EP.