Cold Aston Church of England Primary School

About Cold Aston Church of England Primary School

If you're looking for a small village primary where parents are overwhelmingly positive, Cold Aston Church of England Primary School makes a strong impression. In the most recent Parent View survey, covering responses from September 2024 to September 2025, every single parent who responded said they would recommend the school to other parents. The feedback is strikingly consistent: 100% of respondents strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school and feels safe there. Parents also felt well-informed, with 91% strongly agreeing that the school lets them know how their child is doing and makes them aware of what their child will learn. The school is clearly popular locally, too. For entry in the 2025/26 academic year, Cold Aston received 21 applications for just 7 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3 to 1. All 6 first-preference applicants were offered a place, which suggests that for those who put it top of their list, the school is a realistic option.

Academically, Cold Aston presents a mixed picture that parents will want to weigh carefully. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 57% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That's just below the Gloucestershire local authority average of 59%. The school's ranking within the Cotswold local authority places it 22nd out of 38 primary schools, putting it in the bottom half of its immediate area. However, individual subject scores tell a more nuanced story. In maths, 86% of pupils met the expected standard and the average scaled score was 104, which is solid. Reading and writing both saw 71% and 57% reaching the expected standard respectively, with 14% of pupils achieving the higher standard in each of reading, writing and maths. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, rated overall effectiveness as 'Good', with personal development judged 'Outstanding' and behaviour and attitudes also 'Good'. This is a step down from its previous 'Outstanding' rating in 2015, but the inspection team clearly saw plenty to commend.

Cold Aston is a Church of England primary with a very small roll of just 55 pupils, well below its capacity of 105, which gives children plenty of space and individual attention. The school offers a range of facilities including a forest school, music rooms, art studios and an ICT suite, plus a chapel. Sports provision covers rounders, tennis, football, cricket, cross country and swimming, and there are clubs for coding, drama and eco club. The school has identified moderate learning difficulty as a specific SEND provision area. With its strong parent satisfaction, small classes and rural Cotswold setting, this school will particularly suit families who value a close-knit community feel and a school where their child is known well. The oversubscription ratio confirms its popularity, so getting a place will require a timely application, especially for those outside the immediate catchment.

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