Ampney Crucis Church of England Primary School

About Ampney Crucis Church of England Primary School

Ampney Crucis Church of England Primary School is a small village primary in the Cotswolds, currently teaching 90 pupils against a capacity of 105. That leaves some physical headroom, but the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 37 applications for just 12 places, with 11 of those offers going to first-preference families. The oversubscription ratio sits at 3.08, meaning more than three families applied for every available spot. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 5.6%, well below the national average, reflecting the relatively affluent local area. The school is a Church of England state primary, taking children from age 4 to 11, and is led by headteacher Rebecca Balloch. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, rated the school Good overall, with Outstanding marks for personal development and for behaviour and attitudes.

Academically, the picture is mixed. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 tests, 44% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the local authority average of 59%. That places the school 30th out of 38 primary schools in the Cotswold district and in the bottom 50 nationally by this measure. However, individual subject results tell a more nuanced story: 81% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, and 75% did so in writing, with maths at 63%. Average scaled scores were 106 in reading and 102 in maths. The proportion reaching the higher standard was low across the board — 25% in reading, 6% in maths and 6% in writing. The school has no published progress scores, so it is hard to say how much value it adds relative to starting points.

Parents are broadly positive. In the most recent Parent View survey, 91% said their child is happy at the school, and 95% said their child feels safe. Behaviour is seen as a strength: 93% agreed the school ensures pupils are well behaved. The school offers a Forest School, an ICT suite, music rooms and a chapel, and runs clubs including drama, choir and art. Sports provision covers netball, tennis, swimming and rounders. SEND support is available for specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional needs, speech and language needs, and autistic spectrum disorder — though the Parent View data shows some division on this front, with 44% agreeing SEND children get the support they need and 44% disagreeing. This is a school that will suit families who prioritise a small, community-focused Church of England setting in a rural Cotswold village, but who are comfortable with academic results that sit below the local average.

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