Bucklebury C.E. Primary School

About Bucklebury C.E. Primary School

Bucklebury C.E. Primary School is a Church of England state primary in West Berkshire, a local authority with 67 primary schools in total. Of those, only three hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted, which gives some context for Bucklebury's current Good grade. In the most recent local rankings based on Key Stage 2 outcomes, the school sits 46th out of 57 schools in the authority, placing it in the bottom half of the LA table. For comparison, the top-performing nearby primaries include The Ilsleys Primary School, Robert Sandilands Primary School and Nursery, and Sulhamstead and Ufton Nervet School, all of which scored higher on the same ranking metric. Bucklebury is a small school with 105 pupils against a capacity of 126, and it serves children from age three through to eleven, with nursery provision on site. The school is mixed and has a religious character, with headteacher A Higgs leading the team.

Academically, the most recent Key Stage 2 results from the 2023/24 academic year show that 44% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is below the West Berkshire LA average of 57%. Looking at individual subjects, 78% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, with an average scaled score of 108, while 56% did so in maths and 44% in writing. Only 11% of pupils achieved the higher standard in reading and writing, and none did so in maths. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection took place in October 2024 and was a graded inspection that judged the school Good overall, though the overall effectiveness label was recorded as 'Not judged' due to the inspection type. Within the breakdown, personal development was rated Outstanding, while quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and early years provision were all rated Good. The previous inspection in 2015 also rated the school Good overall.

The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, with 25 applications for 11 places and a ratio of 2.27 applicants per place, though only six of those were first-preference applications. Facilities include a library, art studios, music rooms, a forest school and a chapel, and the school offers clubs such as drama, choir, eco club, chess and coding. Sports on offer include rounders, swimming, football and athletics. For SEND, the school lists provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and physical disability. Parent View responses from 60 respondents show that 78% would recommend the school, though opinions are mixed on SEND support: 60% agreed or strongly agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, while 40% disagreed or strongly disagreed. This school may suit families who value a small, church-affiliated primary with a strong personal development focus and a range of extracurricular activities, but who are comfortable with below-average KS2 outcomes and a mixed parent view on SEND provision.

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