Catherine Wayte Primary School

About Catherine Wayte Primary School

Catherine Wayte Primary School sits within the Swindon local authority, a mixed state primary for children aged 4 to 11. Among the 51 primary schools in the borough, it ranks 15th, placing it comfortably in the top third locally. The three highest-ranked peers in Swindon are Bishopstone Church of England Primary School, Lift Hazelwood, and The Croft Primary School, all of which sit above Catherine Wayte in the local rankings. The school is led by headteacher Kevin Shammas and currently has 361 pupils on roll, against a capacity of 420. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in March 2025, confirmed that standards are maintained, and the school retains its overall Good rating. Notably, leadership and management were judged Outstanding, and early years provision was rated Good. The previous graded inspection in 2015 had given the school an overall Outstanding, so the current Good rating represents a measured step back, but the ungraded outcome suggests the school is holding its ground well.

Academically, Catherine Wayte performs above the Swindon average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 71% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of 62%. That puts the school in the top 50 nationally for this metric. Reading scores were particularly strong, with an average scaled score of 107 and 88% of pupils meeting the expected standard; 29% achieved the higher standard. Maths followed closely, with an average score of 106 and 84% reaching the expected level. Writing was slightly lower, with 81% at expected and 14% at the higher level. Progress scores are not available in the data, but the attainment figures alone show a school that is delivering solid results for its pupils. Nationally, Catherine Wayte ranks 3,764th out of 13,686 primary schools, placing it in the top 28% of the country.

The school is clearly popular with local families. For the 2025/26 intake, there were 76 applications for just 25 places, and all 25 first-preference applicants were offered a spot, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.04. The Parent View survey, based on 97 responses between September 2024 and September 2025, shows very high satisfaction: 95% of parents would recommend the school, and strong majorities agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, feels safe, and does well. The school supports a range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Facilities include a library, sports hall, forest school, art studios, and playing fields, with clubs covering coding, drama, gardening, eco club, choir and art club. For families seeking a well-regarded, oversubscribed primary in Swindon with strong academic outcomes and a good Ofsted rating, Catherine Wayte is a solid choice.

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