Southwold Primary School

Southwold Primary School is performing well, having effectively maintained the standards identified in its previous inspection. The school is noted for its inclusive environment and nurturing relationships, reflecting the school's strong commitment to providing a positive educational experience. With a broad curriculum in place, pupils are achieving good outcomes across subjects, receiving tailored support particularly for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school demonstrates high expectations for both behaviour and academic achievement, contributing to a climate where pupils are engaged and motivated to learn.

Strengths

• Inclusive and welcoming environment.
• High expectations for pupil achievement.
• Broad and stimulating curriculum.
• Effective support for pupils with SEND.
• Strong behaviour management and respect among pupils.
• Rich personal development program fostering leadership skills.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent delivery of recent curriculum changes in a few subjects.

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 Southwold Primary School attended 94.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.7% 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, 2.5% of pupils at Southwold 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 Southwold Primary School had 20.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.9% 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, 15.6% of pupils at Southwold Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 11.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has resourced provision with 8 pupils.

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 Southwold Primary School received £7,214 and spent £6,860 for each of its 324 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £201,000 (£622 per pupil).

Across all 30 schools of The White Horse Federation, income was £7,712 and spending £7,474 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 Bicester · Oxfordshire local authority: places and applications

Southwold Primary School is part of The White Horse Federation, which runs 30 schools. The nearest others:

• Gagle Brook Primary School Bicester
• Whitelands Academy Bicester
• West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School Kidlington
• St Mary & All Saints Church of England Primary School Reading
• Grange Infants' School Swindon
• Grange Junior School Swindon
• St Luke's Academy Swindon
• Nyland School Swindon
• Mountford Manor Primary School Swindon
• Gorse Hill Primary School Swindon

What is Southwold Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Southwold Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Southwold Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Southwold Primary School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Southwold Primary School have?

Southwold Primary School has 315 pupils on roll.

What age range does Southwold Primary School cover?

Southwold Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Southwold Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 60% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Southwold Primary School?

Southwold Primary School is at Holm Way, Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX26 3UU.