Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery

Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery is a welcoming school where pupils enjoy their educational experience. While many aspects such as the ambitious curriculum and strong community relationships are commendable, the school's overall performance has shown signs of decline since the previous inspection. Pupils are generally happy and safe, yet the inconsistency in support for those falling behind academically and variability in the teaching of early reading highlight areas needing improvement. The school enjoys positive relationships with staff and parents, with effective processes for identifying students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Strengths

• Pupils form strong, trusting relationships with each other and staff.
• The curriculum is well-organized and ambitious for mixed-age classes.
• Reading is prioritized, fostering a love of reading among pupils.
• The school provides a rich range of extracurricular opportunities.
• Staff offer effective support for pupils' personal development.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistency in support for pupils who fall behind academically.
• Teaching of early reading is not implemented consistently.
• Expectations for pupils' learning behaviors are occasionally low.
• Assessment systems in some foundation subjects are not well established.

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 Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery attended 93.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 20.3% 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, 5.2% of pupils at Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery 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 Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery had 16.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 28.9% of pupils at Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.3% 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 Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery received £9,606 and spent £9,811 for each of its 75 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £20,000 (£266 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 Market Drayton · Shropshire local authority: places and applications

What is Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery is Good, from an inspection in December 2024.

When was Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery last inspected by Ofsted?

Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery was last inspected in December 2024.

How many pupils does Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery have?

Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery has 76 pupils on roll.

What age range does Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery cover?

Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 58% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery?

Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery is at Buntingsdale Park, Tern Hill, Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 2HB.