Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School

Whittington C of E (VA) Primary School is performing well overall, with inspectors finding good provision across the key areas and effective safeguarding. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it sits at the heart of its local community, with Christian values and nurturing relationships shaping daily life. Pupils say they are happy, feel safe and behave well, and staff have high expectations for behaviour. The school has made noticeable curriculum improvements, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. Phonics is taught consistently, reading books are well matched to pupils’ needs, and pupils receive targeted support where gaps are identified. The early years curriculum has been reviewed and developed, including a stronger focus on physical development. The school is inclusive, identifies pupils with SEND accurately and supports them well, including through its specialist SEND hub. Pupils benefit from a wide range of clubs, visits, sporting competitions and outdoor learning. The main areas for improvement are governance and attendance. Governors are supportive but do not always use the information they receive to hold leaders fully to account for curriculum quality and pupils’ achievement, so their view of the school is not always accurate. Some pupils also miss too much school, which limits how well they achieve. Leaders are working to promote attendance, but the report says barriers need to be identified and addressed more successfully.

Strengths

• Strong community values and nurturing relationships between staff and pupils
• Pupils are happy, feel safe and behave well
• High expectations for behaviour are matched by staff
• A wide range of extra-curricular clubs, visits and sporting opportunities
• Outdoor woodland learning is valued by pupils
• Curriculum improvements in reading, writing and mathematics are making a difference
• Mathematics curriculum is carefully designed and pupils are growing in confidence
• Staff are well trained and teach curriculum content effectively
• Important content is revisited regularly so pupils remember learning
• Phonics is implemented consistently, with well-matched books and targeted support
• Pupils read widely and often and develop fluency and accuracy
• Early years curriculum is well sequenced and prepares children for Year 1
• Physical development in early years has been strengthened with new resources and curriculum time
• Pupils with SEND are accurately identified and well supported, including in the specialist hub
• Complex behavioural needs are well managed
• Leaders and staff work with families to promote attendance
• Staff are overwhelmingly positive about leadership and workload management
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• Governors do not always hold leaders fully to account for curriculum quality and pupils’ achievement
• Governors do not always follow up on information they receive, limiting their accurate view of the school
• Some pupils miss too much school, which affects their achievement
• Barriers to attendance need to be identified and successfully addressed

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 Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School attended 94.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 13.5% 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 Whittington CofE (VA) 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 Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School had 20.2 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, 10.0% of pupils at Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 11.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has resourced provision with 18 pupils.

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 Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School received £7,947 and spent £7,807 for each of its 239 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £123,000 (£516 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 Oswestry · Shropshire local authority: places and applications

What is Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School have?

Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School has 239 pupils on roll.

What age range does Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School cover?

Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 52% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School?

Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School is at Station Road, Whittington, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 4DA.