Little Chalfont Primary School

Little Chalfont Primary School is a warm, inclusive and high-performing primary school where pupils thrive. Inspectors found exceptional provision across every judged area, with pupils achieving very well from early years through to Year 6. The school combines high aspirations with strong care and support, and pupils’ behaviour, attitudes and personal development are exemplary. Reading is a particular bedrock of achievement, and pupils with SEND are identified and supported promptly and skilfully. The school has a clearly structured, ambitious curriculum and staff have excellent subject knowledge. Children in early years get off to a strong start, quickly becoming confident and eager learners. Pupils benefit from a wide range of trips, responsibilities and leadership opportunities, and they speak maturely about values such as respect and individual liberty. Parents are overwhelmingly positive, staff are proud to work there, and trustees and governors understand the school well and provide effective challenge. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection, although it had previously been judged outstanding before becoming an academy. Since September 2024, schools are not awarded an overall effectiveness grade. The headteacher was not present during the inspection, and most leaders and staff have been appointed since the previous inspection. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. No areas for improvement were identified in the report.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve exceptionally well across the school.
• The curriculum is ambitious, clearly structured and builds progressively over time.
• Reading is prioritised from early years and pupils become confident, fluent readers.
• Staff have excellent subject knowledge and check pupils’ understanding carefully.
• Pupils with SEND are identified promptly and supported skilfully.
• Behaviour and attitudes are exemplary, with calm classrooms and respectful pupils.
• Personal development is exceptional, with a wide range of trips and experiences.
• Pupils take on responsibilities and develop strong leadership skills.
• Early years provision helps children become confident, eager learners quickly.
• Leaders, trustees and governors have a precise understanding of strengths and priorities.
• Staff are proud to work at the school and feel well supported.
• Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
• Attendance rates are high.

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 Little Chalfont Primary School attended 96.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.2% 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, 0.4% of pupils at Little Chalfont 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 Little Chalfont Primary School had 20.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 23.7% 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, 13.0% of pupils at Little Chalfont Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.8% 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 Little Chalfont Primary School received £6,251 and spent £6,202 for each of its 233 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £69,000 (£296 per pupil).

Across all 4 schools of Chess Valley Primary Learning Trust, income was £6,548 and spending £6,876 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 Amersham · Buckinghamshire local authority: places and applications

Little Chalfont Primary School is part of Chess Valley Primary Learning Trust, which runs 4 schools. The nearest others:

• Christ Church Chorleywood CofE School Rickmansworth
• Sarratt Church of England Primary School Rickmansworth
• St Mary's Rickmansworth CofE Primary School Rickmansworth

What is Little Chalfont Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Little Chalfont Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in September 2025.

When was Little Chalfont Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Little Chalfont Primary School was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does Little Chalfont Primary School have?

Little Chalfont Primary School has 247 pupils on roll.

What age range does Little Chalfont Primary School cover?

Little Chalfont Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Little Chalfont Primary School?

Little Chalfont Primary School is at Oakington Avenue, Little Chalfont, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, HP6 6SX.