St Oswald's CofE Academy

St Oswald’s CofE Academy is an improving primary school that has moved on well from its previous inspection. Pupils now describe a calmer and safer school, behaviour has improved, and most pupils achieve well across most subjects, including many pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The curriculum has been strengthened so that teachers know what to teach and when, and the school has made phonics a priority with ongoing staff training and well-matched reading books. The Nursery provides an excellent start, with highly effective adult interaction and a stimulating environment. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. Leadership is a notable strength: leaders are described as driven, compassionate and resolute, and they have raised expectations and improved provision considerably. Pupils show respect, celebrate differences, and benefit from trips, visitors and a range of clubs. However, some pupils who struggle with phonics are not supported effectively enough to keep up, and the needs of some pupils with SEND are not identified with enough precision, so gaps in learning can persist. Attendance has improved for many pupils but remains a concern for a group who are regularly absent for long periods, including some of the most vulnerable pupils. The school is a smaller-than-average Church of England primary within The Diocese of Coventry Multi Academy Trust. This was a graded section 5 inspection in November 2024, and the school was judged good in each key area; under current arrangements no overall effectiveness grade was given.

Strengths

• Pupils now experience a calmer school where learning can take place without distraction.
• Most pupils achieve well across most subjects, including many pupils with SEND.
• The curriculum is now clear and sequenced so pupils can build on prior learning.
• Phonics is a top priority, with ongoing training and effective assessment matching books to pupils’ ability.
• The Nursery provides an excellent start through highly effective adult interaction and a stimulating environment.
• Pupils show respect, celebrate differences and understand the importance of treating people fairly.
• Behaviour has improved, and pupils respond well to the school’s clear rules and high expectations.
• Pupils benefit from trips, visitors, clubs and activities that support their wider development.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
• Leadership is driven, compassionate and resolute, and has galvanised support from parents and staff.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils who struggle with the phonics programme do not receive effective support to keep up with their peers.
• The needs of some pupils with SEND are not identified with enough precision, leaving gaps in vital learning unaddressed.
• Too many pupils are regularly absent for long periods, including some of the most vulnerable pupils.

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 Oswald's CofE Academy attended 93.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 19.1% 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, 3.6% of pupils at St Oswald's CofE Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Oswald's CofE Academy had 45.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 52.9% 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, 20.9% of pupils at St Oswald's CofE Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.1% 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 Oswald's CofE Academy received £7,725 and spent £7,644 for each of its 187 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £72,000 (£386 per pupil).

Across all 22 schools of The Diocese of Coventry Multi-Academy Trust, income was £7,560 and spending £7,478 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 Rugby · Warwickshire local authority: places and applications

St Oswald's CofE Academy is part of The Diocese of Coventry Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 22 schools. The nearest others:

• Harris Church of England Academy Rugby
• Dunchurch Boughton Church of England Junior Academy Rugby
• Dunchurch Boughton Church of England Infant Academy and Nursery Rugby
• Leamington Hastings Church of England Academy Rugby
• Ryton-On-Dunsmore Provost Williams Church of England Academy Coventry
• St Bartholomew's Church of England Academy Coventry
• Long Itchington CofE Academy Southam
• Stretton Church of England Academy Coventry
• Southam St James CofE Academy Southam
• St Laurences CofE Primary School Coventry

What is St Oswald's CofE Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Oswald's CofE Academy is Good, from an inspection in December 2024.

When was St Oswald's CofE Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

St Oswald's CofE Academy was last inspected in December 2024.

How many pupils does St Oswald's CofE Academy have?

St Oswald's CofE Academy has 196 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Oswald's CofE Academy cover?

St Oswald's CofE Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St Oswald's CofE Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 56% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Oswald's CofE Academy?

St Oswald's CofE Academy is at Addison Road, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV22 7DJ.