Kirk Sandall Infant School

Kirk Sandall Infant School has demonstrated significant improvement since its last inspection, moving from a previous grade of Requires Improvement to an overall rating of Good. The school has established high expectations for pupils, leading to a safe environment where positive relationships thrive. The curriculum has been purposefully adapted, engaging students effectively and helping them achieve well, especially in reading due to improved phonics teaching and the use of quality reading resources. Leadership and management also reflect a strong commitment towards ongoing development and staff well-being, further enhancing the learning environment. There are notable strengths in early years provision, where staff are well-informed about children's developmental needs. Pupils are encouraged to take on leadership roles and are developing valuable social skills. However, some concerns were noted, particularly regarding a small number of pupils struggling with resilience and retention of knowledge about different faiths. Addressing these areas will be essential for ensuring that all students benefit from the school’s robust education framework.

Strengths

• High expectations for pupil behavior and safety.
• Engaging and practical curriculum linked to real-world experiences.
• Strong phonics teaching with effective staff training.
• Good support for pupils with special educational needs.
• Effective leadership fostering a positive school culture.
• Well-developed early years provision focusing on communication skills.
• Strong personal development program for understanding relationships and online safety.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils need to improve their resilience to maintain focus during activities.
• Inconsistencies in pupils' knowledge retention about different faiths.

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 Kirk Sandall Infant School attended 94.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.6% 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, 1.3% of pupils at Kirk Sandall 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 Kirk Sandall Infant School had 19.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 35.5% 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, 12.6% of pupils at Kirk Sandall Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.7% 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 Kirk Sandall Infant School received £6,509 and spent £7,306 for each of its 229 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £80,000 (-£352 per pupil).

Across all 7 schools of Brighter Futures Learning Partnership Trust, income was £7,326 and spending £7,314 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 Doncaster · Doncaster local authority: places and applications

Kirk Sandall Infant School is part of Brighter Futures Learning Partnership Trust, which runs 7 schools. The nearest others:

• Kirk Sandall Junior School Doncaster
• Hungerhill School Doncaster
• Barnby Dun Primary Academy Doncaster
• Dunsville Primary School Doncaster
• Doncaster UTC Doncaster
• West Road Primary Academy Doncaster

What is Kirk Sandall Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Kirk Sandall Infant School is Good, from an inspection in July 2024.

When was Kirk Sandall Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Kirk Sandall Infant School was last inspected in July 2024.

How many pupils does Kirk Sandall Infant School have?

Kirk Sandall Infant School has 222 pupils on roll.

What age range does Kirk Sandall Infant School cover?

Kirk Sandall Infant School for pupils aged 3 to 7.

Where is Kirk Sandall Infant School?

Kirk Sandall Infant School is at Queen Mary Crescent, Kirk Sandall, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN3 1JT.