Ickford School

Ickford School is a small primary school within the Ickford Learning Trust. A full section 5 inspection found it to be performing at a very high level overall, with exceptional pupil achievement and exceptional attendance and behaviour. Safeguarding standards are met, and the school has a strong, inclusive culture where pupils feel safe, happy and motivated to learn. Pupils achieve consistently above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The curriculum is broad, ambitious and well sequenced, teaching is strong, and the early years provision prepares children very well for Year 1. Inclusion is a notable strength, with precise identification of needs and effective support that helps all pupils access learning and make excellent progress. No significant weaknesses or concerns were identified in the report. The only next step is for leaders to continue their clear and focused oversight so that high standards are sustained. The school benefits from strong leadership, knowledgeable trustees, positive parental support and a thoughtful personal development programme that includes wide-ranging clubs, trips and pupil leadership opportunities.

Strengths

• Pupil achievement is exceptional, with attainment consistently above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND achieve equally well from their starting points.
• Attendance is exceptionally high, and persistent absence is very low.
• Behaviour is exemplary, with pupils showing courtesy, respect and self-regulation.
• The curriculum is broad, balanced, ambitious and rooted in current research.
• Teaching is strong, using clear modelling, embedded assessment and prompt correction of misconceptions.
• Early years provision is strong, with a prioritised reading curriculum and excellent progress from starting points.
• Inclusion is a significant strength, with precise identification of needs and well-matched support.
• Leadership and governance are strong, with high expectations, reflective evaluation and robust trustee challenge.
• Staff feel valued, receive high-quality professional development and are supported with workload and wellbeing.
• Personal development is thoughtfully planned, including mental health support, leadership roles and a wide range of clubs and trips.
• Safeguarding standards are met, and pupils are taught how to keep themselves and others safe.

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 Ickford School attended 97.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 0.8% 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 Ickford 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 Ickford School had 18.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.5% 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, 7.2% of pupils at Ickford School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.4% 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 Ickford School received £6,276 and spent £6,657 for each of its 134 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £21,000 (-£157 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 Aylesbury · Buckinghamshire local authority: places and applications

What is Ickford School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ickford School is Strong standard, from an inspection in July 2026.

When was Ickford School last inspected by Ofsted?

Ickford School was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does Ickford School have?

Ickford School has 138 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ickford School cover?

Ickford School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Ickford School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 100% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Ickford School?

Ickford School is at Sheldon Road, Ickford, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP18 9HY.