Wellington Lions Primary Academy

Wellington Lions Primary Academy has shown significant improvement since its last inspection, moving from Requires Improvement to a Good overall rating. The school demonstrates a commitment to raising expectations and fostering a positive learning environment, with leaders actively engaging pupils in their education and encouraging curiosity. They have implemented an ambitious curriculum that is inclusive and well-sequenced, although there are still challenges related to the impact of this curriculum on published outcomes, particularly in reading and mathematics at key stage 2. The school serves a diverse population, with many pupils joining mid-year, which the leadership team is effectively managing.

Strengths

• Leaders have raised expectations for pupil behaviour.
• Pupils demonstrate a strong sense of curiosity and engagement in learning.
• The curriculum is well mapped and ambitious, covering all subjects.
• There is robust support and training for teachers, improving subject knowledge.
• SEND pupils receive effective support and adaptations to the curriculum.
• Pupils feel safe and know how to manage their concerns appropriately.

Areas for Improvement

• Some subjects lack thorough checks on curriculum implementation and impact.
• Communication between leaders and some parents needs improvement.

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 Wellington Lions Primary Academy attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.6% 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, 2.0% of pupils at Wellington Lions Primary 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 Wellington Lions Primary Academy had 17.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2023–24, 49.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 17.1%).

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, 12.8% of pupils at Wellington Lions Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.8% 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 Wellington Lions Primary Academy received £7,930 and spent £8,168 for each of its 199 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £74,000 (£370 per pupil).

Across all 7 schools of Ascend Learning Trust, income was £8,018 and spending £8,086 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 Wiltshire · Wiltshire local authority: places and applications

Wellington Lions Primary Academy is part of Ascend Learning Trust, which runs 7 schools. The nearest others:

• The Wellington Academy Ludgershall
• Wellington Eagles Primary Academy Andover
• Kingsbury Green Academy Calne
• Lawn Manor Academy Swindon
• Noremarsh Junior School Swindon
• Royal Wootton Bassett Academy Swindon

What is Wellington Lions Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Wellington Lions Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in September 2023.

When was Wellington Lions Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Wellington Lions Primary Academy was last inspected in September 2023.

How many pupils does Wellington Lions Primary Academy have?

Wellington Lions Primary Academy has 187 pupils on roll.

What age range does Wellington Lions Primary Academy cover?

Wellington Lions Primary Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Wellington Lions Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 53% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Wellington Lions Primary Academy?

Wellington Lions Primary Academy is at Oatway Road, Tidworth, Wiltshire, SP9 7FP.