St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley

St Christopher’s Church of England School in Cowley has demonstrated significant improvement since its last inspection, achieving a good overall effectiveness rating. The school boasts a strong commitment to inclusivity and supports all pupils effectively, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). A notable strength is the exceptional personal development program, which emphasizes welfare and pastoral care, helping students thrive academically and socially. The school has notably high expectations for pupil attendance and wellbeing, which have resulted in substantial improvements in these areas over time.

Strengths

• Strong inclusive ethos with a commitment to supporting all pupils.
• Effective leadership with a focus on high expectations and pupil achievement.
• Exceptional personal development and welfare support for students and families.
• Strong provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Ambitious and well-structured curriculum that fosters a love for reading.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent use of assessment in some subjects leading to gaps in pupils' knowledge.

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 Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley attended 94.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.1% 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, 0.9% of pupils at St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley 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 Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley had 18.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.2% 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, 18.2% of pupils at St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.4% 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 St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley received £7,925 and spent £8,347 for each of its 305 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £392,000 (£1,284 per pupil).

Across all 45 schools of Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust, income was £7,225 and spending £7,175 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 Oxford · Oxfordshire local authority: places and applications

St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley is part of Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust, which runs 46 schools. The nearest others:

• Tyndale Community School Oxford
• St Francis Church of England Primary School Oxford
• St Frideswide Church of England Primary School Oxford
• John Henry Newman Academy Oxford
• Wheatley Church of England Primary School Oxford
• North Hinksey Church of England Primary School Oxford
• Dr South's Church of England Primary School Kidlington
• St Laurence Church of England School Wallingford
• Benson Church of England Primary School Wallingford
• Northbourne Church of England Primary School Didcot

What is St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley is Good, from an inspection in July 2024.

When was St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley last inspected by Ofsted?

St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley was last inspected in July 2024.

How many pupils does St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley have?

St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley has 314 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley cover?

St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley?

St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley is at Temple Road, Cowley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 2HB.