Leighterton Primary School

Leighterton Primary School is a small, 109-pupil primary in the Athelstan Multi Academy Trust. This full section 5 inspection found a school performing well overall. Pupils achieve strongly: outcomes in phonics, multiplication tables and end of key stage 2 national tests are above national averages, and disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND make impressive progress from their starting points. Attendance is above average, persistent absence is low, and behaviour is a strength, with pupils attentive, respectful and well supported by consistent routines. Safeguarding standards are met.

Strengths

• Outcomes in phonics, multiplication tables and key stage 2 national tests are above national averages.
• Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND make impressive progress from their starting points.
• Staff identify gaps in reading, writing and mathematics and close them quickly through thoughtful intervention.
• Attendance is above the national average, including for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.
• Leaders use rigorous analysis and targeted support, including breakfast club, to improve attendance.
• Pupils' behaviour is excellent, with attentive learning, respectful social times and swift handling of rare incidents.
• The school's values promote optimism, aspiration and kindness throughout school life.
• The curriculum is ambitious, well sequenced and helps pupils build depth across subjects.
• Teaching is thoughtful, uses secure subject knowledge and captures pupils' imagination.
• Reading and phonics are well established, with effective support for pupils who need to keep up.
• The early years curriculum is well sequenced and children achieve well and enjoy learning.
• Leaders have created an inclusive culture where all pupils feel valued, safe and able to participate.
• Pupils with SEND are well supported, make secure progress and become increasingly independent.
• Leaders, including governors, have a clear understanding of strengths and priorities for improvement.
• Staff are proud to work at the school and benefit from extensive professional learning.
• Parents are overwhelmingly positive and value the school's community culture.
• Personal development and wellbeing are central; pupils are confident, respectful and understand mental health and online safety.
• Pupils benefit from a range of clubs, trips, residentials and leadership opportunities.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture and concerns managed effectively.

Areas for Improvement

• In the early years, staff interactions are not consistently frequent and purposeful enough, so some pupils' vocabulary does not develop as quickly as it could.
• In some subjects, learning tasks do not provide pupils with enough opportunity to deepen their understanding.

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 Leighterton Primary School attended 95.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.1% 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 Leighterton 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 Leighterton Primary School had 17.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 42.5% 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, 18.1% of pupils at Leighterton Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.0% 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 Leighterton Primary School received £6,879 and spent £7,099 for each of its 109 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £123,000 (£1,129 per pupil).

Across all 9 schools of The Athelstan Trust, income was £7,641 and spending £7,380 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 Cotswold · Gloucestershire local authority: places and applications

Leighterton Primary School is part of The Athelstan Trust, which runs 10 schools. The nearest others:

• Sir William Romney's School Tetbury
• Avening Primary School Tetbury
• Malmesbury School Malmesbury
• Chipping Sodbury School Bristol
• Charter Primary School Chippenham
• Abbeyfield School Chippenham
• Kings Lodge Primary School Chippenham
• The Dean Academy Lydney
• Bradon Forest School Swindon

What is Leighterton Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Leighterton Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Leighterton Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Leighterton Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Leighterton Primary School have?

Leighterton Primary School has 116 pupils on roll.

What age range does Leighterton Primary School cover?

Leighterton Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 92% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Leighterton Primary School?

Leighterton Primary School is at Boxwell Lane, Leighterton, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8UH.