Whissendine Church of England Primary School

Whissendine Church of England Primary School is a small village primary in The Rutland Learning Trust. This was its first section 5 inspection; it had previously been judged outstanding before becoming an academy, and under current arrangements no overall effectiveness grade is given. Inspectors found a school where pupils achieve particularly well in English and mathematics, behaviour is impeccable, and personal development and early years provision are exceptionally strong. Pupils benefit from a vibrant reading culture, well-taught phonics, an ambitious curriculum, strong support for pupils with SEND, and a wide enrichment offer. Safeguarding is effective, and leadership is well supported by governors and the trust. The main areas for improvement are the retention of prior learning in some foundation subjects, where pupils do not always remember key content securely because revision is not systematic enough, and communication with parents. Several parents feel the school does not share information effectively, respond to concerns, or listen to their views well enough, and some do not understand the positive changes made. Staff enjoy working at the school, and leaders are described as strong and passionate.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve exceptionally well in English and mathematics
• Behaviour is impeccable and pupils are polite and welcoming
• Early years provision gives children an excellent start, especially in communication, language and number
• Personal development is planned meticulously and character education is first-rate
• There is a vibrant reading culture and phonics is taught exceptionally well
• The curriculum is ambitious and well designed for mixed-age classes
• Pupils with SEND are identified swiftly and supported effectively to succeed
• Pupils benefit from an extensive enrichment offer and meaningful leadership roles
• Pupils attend well and feel safe, valued and trusted
• Strong, passionate leadership at all levels is supported by effective governance and trust challenge
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• In some foundation subjects, prior learning is not revised systematically enough, so some pupils do not remember key content securely
• Several parents feel the school does not communicate effectively, respond to concerns, or listen to their views well enough
• Some parents do not understand the positive changes made at the school

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 Whissendine Church of England Primary School attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.1% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Whissendine 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 Whissendine Church of England Primary School had 17.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.3% 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, 9.6% of pupils at Whissendine Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.7% 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 Whissendine Church of England Primary School received £6,236 and spent £6,829 for each of its 140 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £114,000 (£812 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of The Rutland Learning Trust, income was £7,559 and spending £7,570 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 Oakham · Rutland local authority: places and applications

Whissendine Church of England Primary School is part of The Rutland Learning Trust, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

• Langham CofE (Controlled) Primary School Oakham
• Oakham CofE Primary School Oakham
• St Nicholas Church of England Primary School Oakham
• Cottesmore Academy Oakham
• Exton and Greetham CofE Primary School Oakham
• Empingham Church of England Primary School Oakham
• Uppingham Church of England Primary School Oakham
• Great Casterton Church of England Primary School Stamford
• Ketton Church of England Primary School Stamford
• Glapthorn Church of England Primary School Peterborough

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

The latest Ofsted rating for Whissendine Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was Whissendine Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Whissendine Church of England Primary School was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does Whissendine Church of England Primary School have?

Whissendine Church of England Primary School has 136 pupils on roll.

What age range does Whissendine Church of England Primary School cover?

Whissendine Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Whissendine Church of England Primary School?

Whissendine Church of England Primary School is at Main Street, Whissendine, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 7ET.