Welton Church of England Academy

Welton Church of England Academy is a small primary school within the David Ross Education Trust. This full section 5 inspection found the school performing strongly across all evaluated areas. Safeguarding standards are met, and pupils achieve very well, with published outcomes above national averages by the end of key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. Attendance is above national average and persistent absence is very low. Behaviour is calm and orderly, and pupils feel safe and respected. The curriculum is high-quality and well sequenced, including in mixed-age classes, and phonics teaching is consistently strong. Early years provision is nurturing and well organised, and inclusion is a clear priority, with disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND well supported. The report highlights highly effective leadership and governance, with leaders accurately knowing the school's strengths and priorities. Staff benefit from trust-wide training and collaboration, and personal development is extensive, reflecting the school's Christian ethos. Pupils have broad enrichment opportunities and take on leadership roles. The main area for further development is for leaders and governors to ensure exceptionally high standards in curriculum and teaching across all subjects so that the school's work has a transformational impact on all pupils, particularly the most vulnerable. No significant weaknesses were identified in the evaluated domains.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve very well across the curriculum, with outcomes above national averages by the end of key stage 2.
• Pupils build secure foundations in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND achieve highly from their starting points.
• Attendance is above the national average and persistent absence is very low and reducing.
• Behaviour is calm and orderly, with consistent expectations and rare incidents of bullying or discrimination.
• The curriculum is high-quality and carefully sequenced, including for mixed-age classes.
• Phonics teaching is consistently strong, helping pupils become confident early readers.
• Teachers develop pupils' language and vocabulary effectively across the curriculum.
• Early years provision is calm, nurturing and well organised, with children well prepared for Year 1.
• Inclusion is a priority, with swift identification of needs and well-adapted learning.
• Leadership and governance are highly effective and focused on the right priorities.
• The personal development programme is extensive and reflects the school's Christian ethos.
• Pupils benefit from a broad range of enrichment opportunities, including music, sport and leadership roles.
• Pastoral support is effective, and pupils feel safe, respected and cared for.
• Staff benefit from trust-wide training, subject networks and collaboration with other schools.

Areas for Improvement

• Leaders should ensure exceptionally high standards in curriculum and teaching across all subjects so the school's work has a transformational impact on all pupils, particularly the most vulnerable.

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 Welton Church of England Academy attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.3% 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, 0.8% of pupils at Welton Church of England Academy 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 Welton Church of England Academy had 35.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 7.0% of pupils at Welton Church of England Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.7% 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 2024–25 Welton Church of England Academy received £6,644 and spent £6,374 for each of its 128 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £93,000 (£724 per pupil).

Across all 36 schools of The David Ross Education Trust, income was £8,189 and spending £8,020 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 Daventry · West Northamptonshire local authority: places and applications

Welton Church of England Academy is part of The David Ross Education Trust, which runs 36 schools. The nearest others:

• Falconer's Hill Academy Daventry
• Abbey CofE Academy Daventry
• Newnham Primary School Daventry
• Kings Heath Primary Academy Northampton
• Briar Hill Primary School & Nursery Northampton
• Malcolm Arnold Academy Northampton
• Malcolm Arnold Preparatory School Northampton
• Cedar Road Primary School Northampton
• Eastfield Academy Northampton
• The Arbours Primary Academy Northampton

What is Welton Church of England Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Welton Church of England Academy is Strong standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Welton Church of England Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Welton Church of England Academy was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Welton Church of England Academy have?

Welton Church of England Academy has 129 pupils on roll.

What age range does Welton Church of England Academy cover?

Welton Church of England Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Welton Church of England Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Welton Church of England Academy?

Welton Church of England Academy is at Well Lane, Welton, Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 2JZ.