Bishopstone Church of England Primary School

About Bishopstone Church of England Primary School

Bishopstone Church of England Primary School is a small state primary in Swindon, with just 33 pupils on roll against a capacity of 49. Despite its size, it ranks first out of 51 primary schools in the local authority, placing it in the top five per cent nationally for its key stage 2 outcomes. Its closest competitors in Swindon are The Croft Primary School, Lift Hazelwood, and Lethbridge Primary School, all of which also score highly. The school has a Church of England character and is led by headteacher Robin Smith. It serves a mixed cohort, with 27.3 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving seven applications for just three places, and all three first-preference families were offered a spot. This suggests strong local demand, particularly from families who value academic performance in a small, faith-based setting.

Academically, Bishopstone punches well above its weight. In the 2023/24 key stage 2 assessments, 89 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined, compared with a Swindon local authority average of just 62 per cent. No pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects, but 44 per cent reached the higher standard in maths, 33 per cent in reading, and 33 per cent in writing. Average scaled scores were 108 in reading and 107 in maths, both comfortably above the national benchmark of 100. Progress measures are not available, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to starting points. However, the raw attainment figures are strong enough to place the school 360th nationally out of nearly 14,000 primaries. The most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2024 rated the school Requires Improvement overall, with Good marks for behaviour and attitudes and personal development, but Requires Improvement for quality of education and leadership.

The school offers a range of facilities including an ICT suite, dining hall, gymnasium, playing fields, and a chapel. Sports on offer include athletics, cross country, rounders, football, cricket, and dance, while clubs include art, eco, book, and coding. Bishopstone has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, and other disabilities. There is no nursery or sixth form, and the school is not a boarding option. Given its strong academic results, small size, and oversubscribed status, this school is likely to suit families who prioritise high attainment in a close-knit, church-affiliated environment and who are comfortable with a recent Ofsted rating that flags areas for improvement in leadership and teaching quality.

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