Queensgate Foundation Primary

Queensgate Foundation Primary is a vibrant, caring school where pupils enjoy attending and behave well. The school has high expectations for conduct, strong pastoral support, and an ambitious, broad curriculum from early years through Year 6. Most pupils learn to read well, mathematics is a particular strength, pupils with SEND are well supported, and provision for personal development is exceptional, including a bespoke ‘out and about’ curriculum and a wide range of clubs and community-focused activities. Early years children settle well, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. The main areas for improvement are in early reading and curriculum implementation. Some staff have not been sufficiently trained to teach phonics effectively, and support for pupils who find reading difficult is occasionally not provided quickly enough, which can slow progress. In a few subjects where the curriculum has recently been revised, pupils have not yet gained the same depth of important subject knowledge and skills as they do elsewhere. Governors are well trained and carry out regular checks, and leaders have already made well-considered changes to address some curriculum weaknesses. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the graded inspection arrangements from September 2024, the school was graded for each key judgement but was not given an overall effectiveness grade.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy attending this vibrant and caring school.
• Pupils behave well, show respect for each other and respond positively to instructions.
• Pastoral support through ‘The Nest’ and ‘The Patch’ helps pupils who need more personalised help.
• The school has established an ambitious and broad curriculum from early years to Year 6.
• Most pupils learn to read well, and most older pupils read with accuracy and independence.
• Mathematics teaching is strong, with pupils using appropriate vocabulary and making strong progress.
• Pupils with SEND are well supported and staff adapt lessons so they can access the curriculum.
• Provision for pupils’ personal development is exceptional, with extensive activities, trips and clubs.
• The bespoke ‘out and about’ curriculum helps pupils understand and engage with their local island community and environment.
• Children in early years settle well into routines and benefit from effective modelling and well-selected resources.
• The school works closely with families to improve attendance where it is a concern.
• Governors are well trained, understand their duties and carry out regular checks.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• Some staff have not been sufficiently trained in the teaching of early reading and phonics.
• Support for pupils who find reading more difficult is occasionally not provided quickly and well enough.
• Some pupils have gaps in phonics knowledge that are not addressed quickly enough to help them become fluent readers.
• In a few subjects with recently revised curriculums, pupils have not always learned all the important knowledge they need.
• Pupils do not yet have the same depth of learning in some revised subjects as they do in the strongest subjects.

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 Queensgate Foundation Primary attended 94.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.3% 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, 3.4% of pupils at Queensgate Foundation 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 Queensgate Foundation Primary had 19.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.5% 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, 21.8% of pupils at Queensgate Foundation Primary were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.3% 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 Queensgate Foundation Primary received £7,339 and spent £7,298 for each of its 353 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £211,000 (£597 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

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What is Queensgate Foundation Primary's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Queensgate Foundation Primary is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Queensgate Foundation Primary last inspected by Ofsted?

Queensgate Foundation Primary was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Queensgate Foundation Primary have?

Queensgate Foundation Primary has 353 pupils on roll.

What age range does Queensgate Foundation Primary cover?

Queensgate Foundation Primary for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Queensgate Foundation Primary's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Queensgate Foundation Primary?

Queensgate Foundation Primary is at Beatrice Avenue, East Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO32 6PA.