Forest and Sandridge Church of England Primary School

About Forest and Sandridge Church of England Primary School

Forest and Sandridge Church of England Primary School sits within the Wiltshire local authority, where it ranks 67th out of 159 primary schools based on the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. That places it in the bottom half of schools in the county, though it's worth noting that the top-performing peers in the area — Stanton St Quintin Primary and Nursery School, The Holy Trinity Church of England Primary Academy, and Sutton Veny CofE School — all achieve higher ranking scores. The school is a state-funded, mixed-gender primary for children aged 3 to 11, with a Church of England religious character. It currently has 477 pupils on roll, which is above its official capacity of 450, and 14.7 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals. The headteacher is Scott James, and the school includes a nursery provision.

Academically, the picture is mixed. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 62 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths — above the Wiltshire local authority average of 58 per cent. However, only 3 per cent achieved the higher standard in all three subjects. Looking at individual subjects, 78 per cent met the expected standard in reading, 70 per cent in maths, and 87 per cent in writing. Average scores were 105 in reading and 102 in maths. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was a graded inspection that awarded Outstanding across all categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This is a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2014, when it was rated Good overall and early years provision was graded as Requires Improvement.

The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, with 86 applications for 54 places and 54 first-preference offers made. Facilities include art studios, a library, an ICT suite, playing fields, a forest school, a dining hall, an outdoor playground, music rooms, and a chapel. Sports on offer are gymnastics, netball, rounders, and cross country, while clubs include choir, art club, and book club. SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, hearing impairment, visual impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent View responses from 131 respondents show strong satisfaction: 94 per cent of parents would recommend the school, and 94 per cent strongly agreed or agreed that their child is happy. However, SEND support drew more divided views, with 54 per cent strongly agreeing or agreeing that the school gives SEND children the support they need, while 42 per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed. This school will suit families who value a strong Church of England ethos, a forest school setting, and a school that has recently achieved Outstanding across the board from Ofsted.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Forest and Sandridge Church of England Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents