Chestnuts Primary School

About Chestnuts Primary School

Chestnuts Primary School sits within the Milton Keynes local authority, a large and varied primary landscape where it currently ranks 40th out of 54 schools of its type. That places it in the bottom half of the local league table, with a score of 55 based on the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. The top-performing peers in the area are Caroline Haslett Primary School, Middleton Primary School and Haversham Village School, all of which post higher ranking scores. Chestnuts is a state-funded, mixed-gender primary for children aged 2 to 11, with no religious character. It has a nursery provision and is led by headteacher Becky Skillings. The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 88 applications for 38 places, with 34 of those coming as first preferences. That level of demand suggests a solid local reputation, even if its academic ranking doesn't place it among the highest performers in Milton Keynes.

Academically, Chestnuts produces mixed results. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 55% of pupils achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the Milton Keynes local authority average of 62%. Only 4% reached the higher standard in all three subjects. Looking at individual subjects, 75% met the expected standard in both reading and writing, while 60% did so in maths. Average scores sat at 104 for reading and 102 for maths. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in April 2025, confirmed that standards were maintained, and the overall effectiveness remains Good, a rating it has held since its last graded inspection in February 2019. That graded inspection gave Good marks for leadership and management, early years provision and overall effectiveness. The previous graded inspection in 2014 also rated the school Good. So while the headline attainment figures are below the local average, the school has a consistent track record of being judged a good provider by inspectors.

Chestnuts offers a broad set of facilities including an ICT suite, sports hall, forest school, sensory room, music rooms and a chapel. Sports on offer include rounders, netball, cross country and tennis, while clubs range from gardening and eco club to chess, coding and film club. The school supports a wide range of SEND needs, including specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent View responses from 56 families between September 2024 and September 2025 show strong satisfaction: 91% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 93% felt their child is safe. However, only 64% agreed that concerns are dealt with properly, and 32% disagreed or strongly disagreed that SEND children get the support they need. With 33.8% of pupils eligible for free school meals, this is a school serving a relatively disadvantaged community, and it may particularly suit families who value a strong pastoral and sensory support environment alongside a good but not outstanding academic record.

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