The Elms Primary School

The Elms Primary School is a happy, inclusive primary that has stabilised after a period of significant change. It converted from a junior school in September 2022, experienced staffing and leadership disruption, and is now part of Cambrian Learning Trust; leadership is stable and the school has improved quickly. Pupils behave well, value kindness and community, and take on roles such as play leaders and reading buddies. The curriculum is carefully planned, teachers have strong subject knowledge, reading is prioritised from Nursery, and personal development and safeguarding are effective. Early years provision gives children clear routines and a strong start, especially in communication and language. Published outcomes last year were below national average in reading and mathematics, but current pupils are learning well following improvements. The main area for further work is the wider curriculum. Some tasks are not consistently ambitious enough, so pupils do not always get the chance to apply their learning confidently and independently, including in extended writing. Leaders, governors and trust colleagues understand the school well, have managed change carefully with attention to staff workload, and draw effectively on wider trust expertise. Overall, this is a good school with a positive culture and clear capacity to keep improving.

Strengths

• Inclusive, happy community where pupils are kind and supportive.
• Strong shared values, including kindness, resilience and community.
• Pupils take on leadership roles such as play leaders and reading buddies.
• Behaviour has improved dramatically through consistent, relationship-based approaches.
• Curriculum is carefully considered, with clear knowledge and recall expectations.
• Teachers have excellent subject knowledge and explain new concepts clearly.
• Regular assessment and strong knowledge of pupils help identify SEND needs early.
• Reading is prioritised from Nursery, with well-trained staff and effective catch-up support.
• Personal development is well planned through PSHE, including relationships, health and online safety.
• Early years routines are established quickly and communication and language are prioritised.
• Leaders, governors and trust leaders know the school well and manage change skilfully.
• Staff benefit from a collaborative culture and wider trust expertise.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• Some wider curriculum tasks are not consistently ambitious enough to challenge pupils fully.
• Pupils do not always apply their learning confidently and independently, including in extended writing.
• Published outcomes in reading and mathematics were below the national average last year, though current pupils are learning well.

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 Elms Primary School attended 94.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.8% 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, 1.0% of pupils at The Elms 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 Elms Primary School had 19.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.5% 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, 21.1% of pupils at The Elms Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.6% 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 The Elms Primary School received £7,235 and spent £7,141 for each of its 295 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £701,000 (£2,377 per pupil).

Across all 18 schools of Cambrian Learning Trust, income was £5,520 and spending £5,502 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 Faringdon · Oxfordshire local authority: places and applications

The Elms Primary School is part of Cambrian Learning Trust, which runs 18 schools. The nearest others:

• Faringdon Community College Faringdon
• Folly View Primary Faringdon
• Longcot and Fernham Church of England Primary School Faringdon
• Buckland Church of England Primary School Faringdon
• Watchfield Primary School Watchfield
• Shrivenham Church of England School Swindon
• Ashbury With Compton Beauchamp Church of England Primary School Oxfordshire
• St Johns CofE Academy Wantage
• John Blandy Primary School Abingdon
• St Nicholas CofE Primary School Wantage

What is The Elms Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Elms Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was The Elms Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Elms Primary School was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does The Elms Primary School have?

The Elms Primary School has 251 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Elms Primary School cover?

The Elms Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 61% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Elms Primary School?

The Elms Primary School is at The Elms, Gloucester Street, Faringdon, Oxfordshire, SN7 7HZ.