St Michael's CofE Aided Primary

St Michael's CofE Aided Primary is a strong, highly effective school. Following this full inspection, all evaluated areas - achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing - were judged at the strong standard, and safeguarding standards are met. Pupils achieve highly by the end of key stage 2, with outcomes above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. Attendance is above national averages, behaviour is impressive, and pupils are kind, respectful and enthusiastic learners. The school has an ambitious, evidence-informed curriculum that builds knowledge sequentially, and teaching is highly effective. Early years provision is warm and nurturing, with children settling quickly and making strong progress. Inclusion is a particular strength: leaders are highly aspirational, identify barriers quickly, and provide tailored support, including strong emotional and wellbeing provision. Leaders and governors know the school well, are sharply focused on improvement, and the school sits at the heart of its local community. The main area for development is assessment. On rare occasions, assessment does not precisely identify how well pupils with barriers to learning have secured important knowledge, meaning misconceptions are slower to be addressed. Leaders should continue to sharpen assessment so it consistently informs future planning for these pupils. Published disadvantaged pupil attainment also shows some historical gaps in writing and combined reading, writing and mathematics over the latest three-year period, although inspection evidence indicates these pupils make very positive progress from their starting points.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve highly by the end of key stage 2, with outcomes above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils make very positive progress from their starting points.
• Pupils apply subject-specific vocabulary accurately and demonstrate deep understanding across the curriculum.
• Attendance is above national averages, and leaders track and act on attendance patterns effectively.
• Pupils' behaviour is impressive; they are kind, thoughtful, well-mannered and highly focused in class.
• The curriculum is ambitious, well-sequenced and evidence-informed, prioritising reading, spelling, handwriting and mathematics.
• Teaching is highly effective, with knowledgeable staff who adapt lessons to meet pupils' needs.
• Reading is taught well, and pupils develop a love of reading and progress to challenging texts.
• Early years provision is warm and nurturing, with children making strong academic and emotional progress.
• Inclusion is a strength; leaders identify barriers quickly and provide tailored, effective support.
• Support for pupils' emotional development and wellbeing is noteworthy and highly effective.
• Leaders and governors have a deep, accurate understanding of the school and are sharply focused on improvement.
• The school sits at the heart of its local community, with very positive relationships with parents and staff.
• Personal development provision is systematically planned and helps pupils build resilience, confidence and responsibility.
• Pupils benefit from a strong pastoral offer and learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture of safeguarding.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment is occasionally not precise enough to identify how well pupils with barriers to learning have secured important knowledge, so misconceptions can be slower to address.

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 St Michael's CofE Aided Primary attended 96.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.7% 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 St Michael's CofE Aided Primary 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 St Michael's CofE Aided Primary had 21.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 4.7% 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, 8.8% of pupils at St Michael's CofE Aided Primary were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% 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 St Michael's CofE Aided Primary received £7,184 and spent £7,288 for each of its 194 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £13,000 (£69 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 Marlborough · Wiltshire local authority: places and applications

What is St Michael's CofE Aided Primary's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Michael's CofE Aided Primary is Strong standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was St Michael's CofE Aided Primary last inspected by Ofsted?

St Michael's CofE Aided Primary was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does St Michael's CofE Aided Primary have?

St Michael's CofE Aided Primary has 194 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Michael's CofE Aided Primary cover?

St Michael's CofE Aided Primary for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St Michael's CofE Aided Primary's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 85% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Michael's CofE Aided Primary?

St Michael's CofE Aided Primary is at Back Lane, Aldbourne, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 2BP.