The Dassett CofE Primary School

The Dassett CofE Primary School is a small voluntary controlled Church of England primary school. Inspectors found that pupils are happy and enjoy school, with positive relationships and generally good behaviour. Personal development and early years provision are strong, and safeguarding is effective. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported and achieve well. However, the quality of education and leadership and management require improvement. The curriculum is not yet fully established across all subjects: in some subjects, key knowledge is not clearly defined, so pupils do not consistently build and recall knowledge over time. The books given to some pupils in phonics do not closely match their phonics knowledge, which slows reading progress. Behaviour and attitudes are good overall, but the school has not ensured all staff apply its high behaviour expectations consistently; when poor behaviour is not challenged, it can disrupt learning. Leaders have high expectations and have begun to develop the curriculum, and the governing body provides effective challenge and support. Some parents would welcome more information about what their children are learning.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy and enjoy school, appreciating clubs, visits and wider opportunities.
• Positive relationships are evident; pupils are considerate, share equipment and take turns.
• Pupils trust adults and know concerns will be dealt with.
• High standards of behaviour are expected, and most pupils behave well around school and in lessons.
• Early reading support is strong, with staff quickly spotting pupils who fall behind and helping them catch up.
• Pupils with SEND are well supported and achieve well.
• Personal development is strong, including leadership opportunities, clubs and awareness of other faiths and cultures.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
• The governing body brings a wide range of skills and provides a balance of challenge and support.
• Early years provision is good, helping children learn routines and settle quickly.

Areas for Improvement

• The curriculum is not yet fully established across all subjects, with key knowledge not clearly defined in some subjects.
• In less-developed subjects, activities do not consistently help pupils recall prior knowledge or learn intended new knowledge.
• Some phonics books do not match pupils' phonics knowledge closely enough, limiting reading progress.
• The school has not ensured all staff consistently apply its high expectations for pupils' behaviour.
• Poor behaviour is not always challenged, so some pupils miss learning or disrupt others.
• Some parents would appreciate more information about what their children are learning.

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 The Dassett CofE Primary School attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 18.3% 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, 0.0% of pupils at The Dassett CofE 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 The Dassett CofE Primary School had 20.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 18.5% 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, 13.7% of pupils at The Dassett CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.9% 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 The Dassett CofE Primary School received £7,954 and spent £7,790 for each of its 102 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £128,000 (£1,253 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 Southam · Warwickshire local authority: places and applications

What is The Dassett CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Dassett CofE Primary School is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was The Dassett CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Dassett CofE Primary School was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does The Dassett CofE Primary School have?

The Dassett CofE Primary School has 102 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Dassett CofE Primary School cover?

The Dassett CofE Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are The Dassett CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Dassett CofE Primary School?

The Dassett CofE Primary School is at Fenny Compton, Southam, Warwickshire, CV47 2XU.