St Andrew's Church of England Primary School

St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School has been rated as good overall in its first inspection since becoming an academy. The school has demonstrated effective leadership and a strong commitment to the well-being and learning of its pupils. With a caring and supportive environment, pupils, including those with special educational needs and disadvantaged backgrounds, are achieving well. While there are notable strengths in English, mathematics, and science, there remains room for improvement, particularly in challenging the most able pupils and ensuring a more cohesive delivery of the curriculum across all subjects. The leadership team is praised for their ethical approach and deep understanding of both the school and its community, which has driven meaningful improvements. However, the implementation of certain subjects, particularly in the foundation areas like art and modern foreign languages, requires attention. Overall, the school is fostering a positive culture and is well-positioned for continued development as it embraces its new academy status and navigates the unique challenges of its coastal town context.

Strengths

• Effective leadership with a focus on community improvement
• Strong curriculum development in English, mathematics and science
• Positive relationships and high expectations for pupil behaviour
• Effective support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged backgrounds
• Well-structured early reading program that engages pupils
• Wider curriculum opportunities that build confidence and character
• Nurturing of pupils' spirituality and appreciation of diversity

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum designs need to better challenge most able pupils
• Some foundation subjects are not taught regularly, leading to learning gaps
• Outdoor learning spaces in early years require improvement

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 Andrew's Church of England Primary School attended 93.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 20.0% 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 St Andrew's 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 St Andrew's Church of England Primary School had 18.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.6% 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, 28.9% of pupils at St Andrew's Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% 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 Andrew's Church of England Primary School received £7,209 and spent £7,559 for each of its 231 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £69,000 (-£298 per pupil).

Across all 28 schools of Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust, income was £7,549 and spending £7,556 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 Weymouth · Dorset local authority: places and applications

St Andrew's Church of England Primary School is part of Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust, which runs 28 schools. The nearest others:

• St Nicholas and St Laurence Church of England Primary School Weymouth
• St John's Church of England Primary School Weymouth
• Beechcroft St Paul's CofE Primary School Weymouth
• Dunbury Church of England Academy Winterborne Whitechurch
• Beaminster St Mary's Academy Beaminster
• Spetisbury CofE Primary School Blandford Forum
• Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School Blandford Forum
• Durweston Church of England Primary School Blandford Forum
• Milldown CofE Academy Blandford Forum
• Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary School Blandford Forum

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

The latest Ofsted rating for St Andrew's Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was St Andrew's Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Andrew's Church of England Primary School was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does St Andrew's Church of England Primary School have?

St Andrew's Church of England Primary School has 225 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Andrew's Church of England Primary School cover?

St Andrew's Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

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

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

Where is St Andrew's Church of England Primary School?

St Andrew's Church of England Primary School is at Littlemoor Road, Preston, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 6AA.