St David's Church of England Primary School

St David's Church of England Primary School is a welcoming, inclusive school that is fulfilling the expected standard across most areas, with safeguarding met and achievement identified as needing attention. Pupils benefit from a calm, positive culture and strong pastoral care; attendance has risen sharply and is above the national average, behaviour is good, and pupils feel safe and valued. Leaders have strengthened curriculum sequencing and teaching, early reading and early years are strong, and inclusion and SEND support are effective. The school is part of the Diocese of Gloucester Academy Trust, and trustees and local governors provide secure oversight. Pupils generally achieve in line with national expectations by the end of Year 6, including in the phonics screening check and multiplication tables check, and maths outcomes in 2024/25 were above national. Personal development is a notable strength, with a broad programme, British values, the 'pupil promise' experiences, clubs and leadership opportunities. However, the quality of handwriting and presentation is too variable and is hindering writing fluency, particularly for disadvantaged pupils; a new handwriting programme is recent and not yet having the desired impact. Disadvantaged pupils also remain less likely to achieve as highly as they could in some areas, including combined reading, writing and maths. Leaders recognise these priorities and are addressing them.

Strengths

• Warm, inclusive culture where pupils feel safe and belong
• Attendance has risen sharply and is above the national average
• Calm, positive learning environment with strong pupil behaviour and manners
• Broad curriculum with content sequenced to build knowledge over time
• Effective teaching strategies, including small steps, challenging questions and checks for understanding
• Strong early reading and phonics, with swift support for pupils who fall behind
• Positive early years provision that develops vocabulary, independence and readiness for Year 1
• Effective identification and support for pupils with SEND, including adaptive teaching
• Strong pastoral support, including nurture club for social and emotional needs
• Secure leadership and governance, with effective trust review and trustee challenge
• Staff feel positive about workload and wellbeing
• Rich personal development programme, including British values, pupil promise experiences and clubs open to all
• Pupils achieve broadly in line with national expectations by the end of Year 6

Areas for Improvement

• Handwriting and presentation are too variable and hamper writing fluency, especially for disadvantaged pupils
• The new systematic handwriting programme is recent and has not yet had the desired impact
• Teaching does not consistently help pupils correct writing errors such as handwriting
• Disadvantaged pupils do not achieve as highly as they could in some areas, including combined reading, writing and maths
• Disadvantaged pupils' writing and maths outcomes remain below national averages in recent years
• Leaders need to ensure consistent implementation of the handwriting approach
• Leaders need to continue ensuring disadvantaged pupils receive support to achieve as highly as possible

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 St David's Church of England Primary School attended 96.1% 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, 0.4% of pupils at St David's Church of England 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 St David's Church of England Primary School had 22.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.0% 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, 19.5% of pupils at St David's Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.1% 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 St David's Church of England Primary School received £6,699 and spent £6,467 for each of its 248 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £158,000 (£637 per pupil).

Across all 25 schools of The Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust, income was £6,887 and spending £6,916 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 Cotswold · Gloucestershire local authority: places and applications

St David's Church of England Primary School is part of The Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust, which runs 25 schools. The nearest others:

• Blockley Church of England Primary School Moreton-In-Marsh
• Winchcombe Abbey Church of England Primary School Cheltenham
• Bibury Church of England Primary School Cirencester
• Christ Church CofE Primary School Cheltenham
• St James' Church of England Primary School Cheltenham
• North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy Cirencester
• St Lawrence Church of England Primary School Lechlade
• Watermoor Church of England Primary School Cirencester
• St James' Church of England Junior School Gloucester
• Hatherley Infant School Gloucester

What is St David's Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St David's Church of England Primary School is Needs attention, from an inspection in January 2026.

When was St David's Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St David's Church of England Primary School was last inspected in January 2026.

How many pupils does St David's Church of England Primary School have?

St David's Church of England Primary School has 256 pupils on roll.

What age range does St David's Church of England Primary School cover?

St David's Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St David's Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St David's Church of England Primary School?

St David's Church of England Primary School is at East Street, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, GL56 0LQ.