Great Horwood Church of England School

About Great Horwood Church of England School

Great Horwood Church of England School holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement grade. The school’s leadership and management were also judged Good. When it comes to academic outcomes, the most telling metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2: just 40% did so in the 2023/24 academic year. That figure is well below the Buckinghamshire local authority average of 64%, placing the school 129th out of 137 primary schools in the county. Individually, reading is a relative strength, with 70% of pupils hitting the expected standard and an average scaled score of 108, while maths and writing both sit at 40% expected. The school’s national ranking for combined expected attainment is in the bottom 10% of all primary schools.

Looking more closely at the exam data, no pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined, though 30% did so in reading alone and 20% in maths. Writing at the higher standard was 0%. The average maths scaled score was 104, and reading 108. Progress scores are not available for any subject, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. The school’s ranking score of 40 out of 100 places it in the bottom 50% nationally and regionally. For context, the top-performing school in the local authority, Ickford School, scored 100. Great Horwood’s results suggest that while some pupils achieve well in reading, overall attainment in the core subjects is lower than many other Buckinghamshire primaries.

The school is a small Church of England primary with 95 pupils against a capacity of 150, and it offers nursery provision for children from age three. It was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 34 applications for 19 places, with 17 first-preference offers made. Facilities include a music room, sensory room, ICT suite, sports hall, forest school and chapel. The school provides support for a wide range of special educational needs, including moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, and physical disabilities. Clubs include science, film, chess and eco club, and sports on offer are cross country, athletics, netball and tennis. This is a school that may suit families who value its small size, Christian character and range of SEND support, but who are aware that its academic outcomes are below the local average.

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