The Croft Primary School

The Croft Primary School is performing exceptionally well. Inspectors found pupils thrive in a caring, high-expectation environment, with exemplary behaviour and a strong sense of safety and belonging. The curriculum is rich, ambitious and carefully sequenced from the early years, and pupils with SEND are supported skilfully so they learn the same curriculum as their peers and achieve highly. Reading is a particular strength, with effective phonics teaching and a strong reading-for-pleasure culture. Personal development is also a major strength. The school’s values, enrichment trips, clubs and pupil leadership opportunities help pupils become confident, respectful and well prepared for life in modern Britain. Leadership across the school and trust is proactive and effective, staff benefit from strong professional development, and parents hold the school in high regard. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since 2014; it is part of The White Horse Federation, and, under current arrangements, no overall effectiveness grade was awarded.

Strengths

• Rich and ambitious curriculum that exceeds national expectations in breadth and depth
• Curriculum is meticulously sequenced from the early years so pupils build on prior learning effectively
• Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum and achieve exceptionally well through skilful adaptation
• Teachers check understanding regularly and address gaps so no pupil is left behind
• Pupils attain significantly above national averages in provisional 2024 outcomes
• Reading is a major strength, with highly effective phonics teaching and targeted support
• Pupils develop a strong love of reading for pleasure
• Behaviour and attitudes are exemplary, with pupils highly motivated and independent
• Pupils feel safe and build excellent relationships with peers and staff
• Personal development is strong, including British values, respect for difference and cultural understanding
• A wide range of clubs, trips and leadership roles enriches pupils’ experiences
• Leadership, governance and trust oversight are proactive and relentless in prioritising pupil development
• Staff benefit from highly effective professional development
• Attendance is high and pupils are delighted to come to school
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

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 Croft Primary School attended 96.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.9% 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 The Croft 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 Croft Primary School had 22.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.8% 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, 15.6% of pupils at The Croft Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.4% 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 The Croft Primary School received £5,950 and spent £5,985 for each of its 418 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £260,000 (£622 per pupil).

Across all 30 schools of The White Horse Federation, income was £7,712 and spending £7,474 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 Swindon · Swindon local authority: places and applications

The Croft Primary School is part of The White Horse Federation, which runs 30 schools. The nearest others:

• Drove Primary School Swindon
• The Ridgeway School & Sixth Form College Swindon
• Mountford Manor Primary School Swindon
• Gorse Hill Primary School Swindon
• Nyland School Swindon
• Grange Junior School Swindon
• Rodbourne Cheney Primary School Swindon
• Moredon Primary School Swindon
• Grange Infants' School Swindon
• Tregoze Primary School Swindon

What is The Croft Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Croft Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was The Croft Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Croft Primary School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does The Croft Primary School have?

The Croft Primary School has 418 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Croft Primary School cover?

The Croft Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Croft Primary School?

The Croft Primary School is at Marlborough Lane, The Croft Primary School, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN3 1RA.