Sunningwell Church of England Primary School

Sunningwell Church of England Primary School maintains a good overall judgement following its recent ungraded inspection. While the school offers a supportive environment where pupils feel safe and valued, the current evidence suggests that it may not perform at the same level if evaluated through a graded inspection. There are notable strengths in reading and mathematics, where the curriculum is effectively planned and pupils generally demonstrate good progress. However, there are significant concerns regarding the coherence and sequencing of the curriculum in other subjects, which hampers pupils' ability to retain knowledge over time.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy and feel safe in a supportive school environment.
• There is a strong emphasis on reading from early on, fostering a love for literature.
• The curriculum in reading and mathematics is well-planned and facilitates good progress.
• Teachers use assessments effectively in reading and mathematics to track progress.
• Pupils show respect and tolerance towards peers and are proud of their school community.
• Pupils have opportunities to take on responsibilities and influence positive changes.

Areas for Improvement

• The curriculum in some subjects lacks coherence and logical sequencing.
• Teachers do not consistently check pupil understanding across all subjects.
• Safeguarding processes for recording student support are not always accurate.

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 Sunningwell Church of England Primary School attended 93.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.1% 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 Sunningwell 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 Sunningwell Church of England Primary School had 16.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.8% 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, 11.5% of pupils at Sunningwell Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.8% 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 Sunningwell Church of England Primary School received £8,033 and spent £8,549 for each of its 78 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £49,000 (£629 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 Vale Of White Horse · Oxfordshire local authority: places and applications

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

The latest Ofsted rating for Sunningwell Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in July 2024.

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

Sunningwell Church of England Primary School was last inspected in July 2024.

How many pupils does Sunningwell Church of England Primary School have?

Sunningwell Church of England Primary School has 78 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sunningwell Church of England Primary School cover?

Sunningwell Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 100% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Sunningwell Church of England Primary School?

Sunningwell Church of England Primary School is at Dark Lane, Sunningwell, Sunningwell C of E Primary, Dark Lane, Oxon, Oxfordshire, OX13 6RE.