Ruskin Infant School

Ruskin Infant School has been rated as good overall in its first inspection since it became an academy. The school is characterized by a strong sense of community and high expectations for both pupils and staff. Parents express satisfaction with the quality of education, highlighting the supportive staff and the effective communication between the school and families. There is a notable emphasis on reading, with early phonics instruction and tailored support for pupils who require additional help, ensuring they progress in their literacy skills.

Strengths

• Strong emphasis on reading and phonics from an early age.
• High expectations for pupil behavior and inclusive school culture.
• Effective partnerships with parents to support pupils' education.
• Well-prepared early years provision that lays a foundation for future learning.
• Supportive staff who value professional development and training.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent opportunities for pupils to deepen their understanding in some subjects.
• Leadership of certain subjects is not fully established yet.

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 Ruskin Infant School attended 93.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 19.4% 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, 1.7% of pupils at Ruskin Infant 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 Ruskin Infant School had 29.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 76.2% 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, 8.8% of pupils at Ruskin Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.0% 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 Ruskin Infant School received £7,908 and spent £7,428 for each of its 191 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £5,000 (-£28 per pupil).

Across all 11 schools of Lion Academy Trust, income was £7,997 and spending £8,136 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 Wellingborough · North Northamptonshire local authority: places and applications

Ruskin Infant School is part of Lion Academy Trust, which runs 11 schools. The nearest others:

• Ruskin Academy Wellingborough
• Olympic Primary Wellingborough
• Warwick Academy Wellingborough
• Brook House Primary School London
• Thomas Gamuel Primary School London
• Sybourn Primary School London
• Barclay Primary School London
• Limebrook Primary School and Nursery Maldon
• Maple Grove Primary School Basildon
• Leigh Beck Junior School Canvey Island

What is Ruskin Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ruskin Infant School is Good, from an inspection in January 2024.

When was Ruskin Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Ruskin Infant School was last inspected in January 2024.

How many pupils does Ruskin Infant School have?

Ruskin Infant School has 250 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ruskin Infant School cover?

Ruskin Infant School for pupils aged 2 to 7.

Where is Ruskin Infant School?

Ruskin Infant School is at Ruskin Avenue, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, NN8 3EG.