Oakwood Primary School

Oakwood Primary School is currently categorized as 'Requires Improvement' overall, with notable strengths in behaviour and attitudes, and personal development rated as 'Good'. The new leadership has made strides to enhance expectations and support for students, particularly for disadvantaged learners and those with special educational needs. However, academic outcomes remain a significant concern, especially since last year's results were considerably below national averages. Changes in leadership, including the appointment of an executive headteacher and co-headteachers, are relatively recent and the school is in the process of implementing improvements, which are beginning to show positive effects on students' education.

Strengths

• Strong relationships between staff and pupils
• Effective support for mental health through workshops and activities
• Engaged leadership dedicated to improving pupil well-being
• A well-sequenced curriculum in early years
• Successful support mechanisms for pupils with SEND
• Variety of extracurricular clubs available for pupils

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent identification and sequencing of essential knowledge across subjects
• Persistent high absence rates among some pupil groups
• Governance has lacked sufficient challenge regarding curriculum and attendance

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 Oakwood Primary School attended 90.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 35.6% 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, 8.2% of pupils at Oakwood 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 Oakwood Primary School had 16.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.3% 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, 44.8% of pupils at Oakwood 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 Oakwood Primary School received £9,053 and spent £9,226 for each of its 310 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £162,000 (£522 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 Cheltenham · Gloucestershire local authority: places and applications

Oakwood Primary School is part of Child and Family Learning Trust, which runs 2 schools. The nearest others:

• Gardners Lane Primary School Cheltenham

What is Oakwood Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Oakwood Primary School is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Oakwood Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Oakwood Primary School was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Oakwood Primary School have?

Oakwood Primary School has 310 pupils on roll.

What age range does Oakwood Primary School cover?

Oakwood Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 14% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Oakwood Primary School?

Oakwood Primary School is at Cotswold Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 5HD.