Bishops Cannings Church of England Primary School

About Bishops Cannings Church of England Primary School

Parents considering Bishops Cannings Church of England Primary School will be reassured by the strong vote of confidence from local families. The school is clearly popular, with 57 applications for just 30 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.9. Of those applications, 35 were first-preference choices, and all 30 places went to first-preference families. This level of demand suggests a school that has built a solid reputation within the Wiltshire community. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2023 rated it Good across every category, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This marks a consistent performance, as the previous inspection in 2014 also awarded an overall Good rating, though that earlier visit noted the early years provision as Requires Improvement. The current inspection found early years provision to be Good, showing clear progress in that area.

Academically, Bishops Cannings performs above the local authority average. At Key Stage 2, 64% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to the Wiltshire average of 58%. This places the school in the top 50% nationally and 60th out of 159 primary schools in the local authority. Individual subject scores are solid: 84% of pupils reached the expected standard in writing, 80% in maths, and 72% in reading. Average scaled scores in reading and maths both sit at 104, exactly in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard is modest, with 24% in reading, 16% in maths, and 12% in writing, and just 4% reaching the higher threshold across all three subjects. The school does not publish progress scores for reading, writing or maths, so it is not possible to assess how much value it adds relative to pupils’ starting points.

The school offers a broad range of facilities, including a sports hall, playing fields, an ICT suite, music rooms, art studios, and a chapel, reflecting its Church of England foundation. There is also a Forest School programme, which will appeal to families who value outdoor learning. The nursery provision means children can join from age two, and the school supports pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, speech and language needs, social and emotional challenges, and physical disabilities. A wide selection of clubs runs alongside the school day, including coding, eco club, chess, drama, choir and book club, while sports on offer include tennis, swimming, netball, athletics, cross country and cricket. This is a well-regarded village primary that suits families looking for a strong community feel, consistent Good-rated teaching, and a setting where the school is clearly in demand among local parents.

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