Checkendon Church of England (A) Primary School

About Checkendon Church of England (A) Primary School

Checkendon Church of England (A) Primary School is a small state primary in South Oxfordshire, within the Oxfordshire local authority. Among the 242 primary schools in the LA, it ranks 47th overall, placing it comfortably in the top quarter. Its closest peers at the very top of the local rankings are Longworth Primary School, Hornton Primary School, and Brightwell-Cum-Sotwell Church of England Primary School, all of which achieved perfect or near-perfect ranking scores. Checkendon itself holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement judgement in 2014. The school is oversubscribed: for 15 places in the 2025/26 academic year, it received 41 applications, with 13 of those coming as first preferences. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 2.73, reflecting strong local demand for this Church of England primary, which is led by headteacher Sarah Hillier and currently has 74 pupils on roll against a capacity of 105.

Academically, Checkendon performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 75% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the Oxfordshire LA average of 61%. The school’s ranking score of 75 on this metric places it in the top 25% nationally. Reading is a particular strength: every pupil (100%) met the expected standard, and 63% achieved a higher score. In maths, 88% met the expected standard and 75% reached the higher threshold, with an average scaled score of 111. Writing saw 75% at expected and 38% at the higher level. The average reading scaled score was 112. These outcomes put Checkendon 15th out of 48 schools in South Oxfordshire, and 362nd out of 2,034 primaries in the South East region. The school does not have a sixth form or nursery provision.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a sports hall, playing fields, an ICT suite, art studios and a chapel. Sports on offer include athletics, football, swimming, gymnastics, cross country, dance and cricket, and there are clubs such as eco club, gardening and chess. For children with additional needs, the school provides support for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication difficulties. With its strong academic results, small size and oversubscribed intake, Checkendon is likely to suit families who value a Church of England ethos, a focus on reading and maths, and a school that has clearly improved its Ofsted standing. Its rural South Oxfordshire location means it will appeal particularly to families living in or near the village of Checkendon.

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