R A Butler Infant School

R A Butler Infant School demonstrates a strong performance overall, showing significant improvement since its last inspection. Students experience a nurturing and inclusive environment where they thrive academically and socially. The school effectively prioritizes reading and personal development, resulting in a strong ethos of learning and high levels of student engagement. The partnership between staff, students, and families is commendable, fostering trust and support within the community. As this is the first inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, the school has successfully navigated these challenges while maintaining high educational standards.

Strengths

• Extremely happy and engaged pupils who thrive in their learning environment.
• Ambitious curriculum leading to high achievement across subjects.
• Exceptional phonics program taught by well-trained staff.
• Inclusive support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
• Strong emphasis on personal development and teaching equality.
• High pupil attendance and swift action on any dips.
• Positive relationships between pupils, staff, and families.

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 R A Butler Infant School attended 96.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.8% 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 R A Butler Infant 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 R A Butler Infant School had 21.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.2% 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, 8.5% of pupils at R A Butler Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.4% 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 2024–25 R A Butler Infant School received £6,419 and spent £6,119 for each of its 271 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £104,000 (£384 per pupil).

Across all 9 schools of Saffron Academy Trust, income was £7,613 and spending £7,555 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Saffron Walden · Essex local authority: places and applications

R A Butler Infant School is part of Saffron Academy Trust, which runs 9 schools. The nearest others:

• R A Butler Junior School Saffron Walden
• Saffron Walden County High School Saffron Walden
• Katherine Semar Infant School Saffron Walden
• Katherine Semar Junior School Saffron Walden
• Helena Romanes School Great Dunmow
• Alec Hunter Academy Braintree
• Beckers Green Primary School Braintree
• Honywood School Colchester

What is R A Butler Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for R A Butler Infant School is Good, from an inspection in December 2024.

When was R A Butler Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

R A Butler Infant School was last inspected in December 2024.

How many pupils does R A Butler Infant School have?

R A Butler Infant School has 271 pupils on roll.

What age range does R A Butler Infant School cover?

R A Butler Infant School for pupils aged 5 to 7.

Where is R A Butler Infant School?

R A Butler Infant School is at South Road, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3DG.