Wessex Gardens Primary School

Wessex Gardens Primary School has improved markedly since its previous inspection and is now performing well across almost all areas. Pupils are nurtured in a strong, inclusive community, behave maturely and benefit from ambitious curriculum thinking, effective SEND support and a wide range of personal development opportunities. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, and staff, governors, parents and the local authority are highly supportive. The early years provision is a standout feature. Children from Nursery and Reception thrive in a caring environment, and the school’s work on early language, number formation and early writing is exceptional. Reading is central across the school, with well-trained staff delivering phonics precisely and targeted support helping pupils keep up. The main area for development is the wider curriculum. In a few subjects, the curriculum is new and not yet fully embedded, so some tasks do not consistently help pupils build deeply on prior knowledge. Teachers’ checks on learning are usually effective, but in some wider curriculum subjects they are not always used sharply enough to address misconceptions before pupils move on.

Strengths

• Strong, inclusive ethos that celebrates diversity and nurtures pupils
• Ambitious curriculum that is broad, balanced and covers the national curriculum
• Swift identification of SEND and effective specialist training to support pupils
• Exceptional early years practice in early language, number formation and writing
• Reading is at the heart of every class, with precise phonics teaching and well-matched books
• Pupils behave maturely, are attentive and polite, and are kind at breaktimes
• Pupils benefit from meaningful leadership roles such as school council and house captains
• Personal, social and health education promotes safety, resilience and healthy friendships
• RE and assemblies develop respect for different faiths and cultures
• Extensive sporting and swimming opportunities are accessible to all pupils
• Governors are diligent and understand the school’s strengths and development areas
• Staff feel well supported with workload and well-being and are proud of the school
• Parents are highly supportive and value strong community links
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• In a few subjects, the curriculum is new and not fully embedded, limiting pupils’ deeper understanding
• Some wider-curriculum tasks do not help pupils build sufficiently on prior knowledge and skills
• In some wider curriculum subjects, teachers’ checks on learning are not consistently useful in addressing misconceptions

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 Wessex Gardens Primary School attended 93.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.5% 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, 1.3% of pupils at Wessex Gardens 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 Wessex Gardens Primary School had 20.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.1% 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, 12.1% of pupils at Wessex Gardens Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.7% 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 Wessex Gardens Primary School received £9,801 and spent £10,260 for each of its 234 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £11,000 (£48 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 Barnet · Barnet local authority: places and applications

What is Wessex Gardens Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Wessex Gardens Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2025.

When was Wessex Gardens Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Wessex Gardens Primary School was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does Wessex Gardens Primary School have?

Wessex Gardens Primary School has 247 pupils on roll.

What age range does Wessex Gardens Primary School cover?

Wessex Gardens Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

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

In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Wessex Gardens Primary School?

Wessex Gardens Primary School is at Wessex Gardens, Golders Green, London, NW11 9RR.