Priestley Primary School

Priestley Primary School is performing well, with an overall effectiveness rated as good. Pupils are described as happy and safe, actively engaging in school activities and adhering to the school's values. The curriculum is broad and ambitious, fostering knowledge development across subjects from early years through to Year 6. There are strong practices in place regarding personal development and safeguarding, contributing to a positive learning environment. However, there are areas of concern regarding the consistency of behavior expectations and the need for improved teacher subject knowledge in certain areas, affecting the overall depth of student learning.

Strengths

• Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning.
• The school has a broad and ambitious curriculum.
• Most pupils are enthusiastic readers and receive well-matched reading materials.
• Pupils engage in a variety of extracurricular activities that build their confidence.
• There is effective provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Areas for Improvement

• A minority of pupils do not follow classroom routines, hindering their learning.
• Teachers lack subject knowledge in some areas, impacting curriculum delivery.
• Governors do not sufficiently challenge school leaders to ensure improvements.

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 Priestley Primary School attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.1% 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, 2.5% of pupils at Priestley 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 Priestley Primary School had 20.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.4% 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, 18.4% of pupils at Priestley Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.9% 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 Priestley Primary School received £6,936 and spent £7,193 for each of its 282 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £5,000 (-£19 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 Calne · Wiltshire local authority: places and applications

What is Priestley Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Priestley Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was Priestley Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Priestley Primary School was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does Priestley Primary School have?

Priestley Primary School has 282 pupils on roll.

What age range does Priestley Primary School cover?

Priestley Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Priestley Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 27% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Priestley Primary School?

Priestley Primary School is at Prince Charles Drive, Calne, Wiltshire, SN11 8TG.