Kingfisher CE Academy

Kingfisher CE Academy is performing securely overall, with inspectors finding no area below the expected standard and safeguarding requirements met. The school has undergone significant change since its last inspection: it joined The Park Academies Trust in September 2024 and opened a specially resourced complex needs provision in September 2025. Leaders, supported by the trust, have overhauled the curriculum, and achievement is improving. Outcomes in phonics and national curriculum tests are now broadly in line with national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Attendance is improving, behaviour is calm and purposeful, and pupils feel safe and enjoy school. Inclusion is a standout feature, with tailored support helping pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and those known to social care to access learning confidently. Early years provision gives children a strong start, and the personal development programme builds responsible, respectful citizens. Staff, parents and trustees are positive about the school’s ethos, leadership and direction. Inspectors identified a few refinements for continued development. Some teachers do not check pupils’ understanding precisely enough to address misconceptions, and pupils’ handwriting, letter formation and presentation vary. In the early years, some adult interactions do not consistently maximise learning opportunities. These are limited issues in an otherwise strong and improving school.

Strengths

• The curriculum is ambitious, coherently sequenced and significantly improved with trust support.
• Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, build knowledge and vocabulary securely across the curriculum.
• Phonics outcomes have improved and are now in line with national averages.
• Attendance is improving, with effective systems to reduce absence, especially for disadvantaged pupils.
• Behaviour is calm and purposeful, and pupils show respect and positive attitudes to learning.
• Early years provision gives children a strong start through positive relationships, a vibrant environment and a well-designed curriculum.
• Inclusion is a golden thread, with tailored support for SEND, disadvantaged pupils and vulnerable families.
• The specially resourced complex needs provision meets local needs and supports pupils with complex communication needs.
• Leadership and governance are ambitious, accurate about strengths and areas for improvement, and effective in supporting staff.
• Personal development is comprehensive, helping pupils become responsible, respectful and active citizens.
• Pupils feel safe, belong, and benefit from strong pastoral support.
• Staff are proud to work at the school and value professional learning and consideration of wellbeing.
• Parents are universally positive about the school's family ethos and support for vulnerable pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers do not check pupils' understanding consistently well, so misconceptions are not always addressed.
• Pupils' handwriting, letter formation and presentation vary in a small number of cases.
• Early years staff interactions do not consistently maximise learning opportunities for all children.

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 Kingfisher CE Academy attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.3% 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, 1.8% of pupils at Kingfisher CE Academy 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 Kingfisher CE Academy had 20.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 21.6% of pupils at Kingfisher CE Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 8.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has a SEN unit 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 Kingfisher CE Academy received £7,736 and spent £9,810 for each of its 113 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £93,000 (£819 per pupil).

Across all 8 schools of The Park Academies Trust, income was £8,113 and spending £8,070 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 Swindon · Swindon local authority: places and applications

Kingfisher CE Academy is part of The Park Academies Trust, which runs 8 schools. The nearest others:

• The Deanery CofE Academy Swindon
• Lydiard Park Academy Swindon
• Orchid Vale Primary School Swindon
• Bridlewood Primary School Swindon
• Abbey Park School Swindon
• Red Oaks Primary School Swindon
• Highworth Warneford School Swindon

What is Kingfisher CE Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Kingfisher CE Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Kingfisher CE Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Kingfisher CE Academy was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Kingfisher CE Academy have?

Kingfisher CE Academy has 148 pupils on roll.

What age range does Kingfisher CE Academy cover?

Kingfisher CE Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

Where is Kingfisher CE Academy?

Kingfisher CE Academy is at Peglars Way, Wichelstowe, Swindon, SN1 7DA.