Hornton Primary School

About Hornton Primary School

Hornton Primary School sits in the Cherwell district of Oxfordshire, and within the local authority it ranks first among all 45 primary schools, placing it firmly at the top of the table. Its closest peers in the area, based on ranking scores, are Longworth Primary School, Brightwell-Cum-Sotwell Church of England Primary School, and Aureus Primary School. The school is a state-funded, mixed-gender primary for children aged 2 to 11, with a nursery provision attached. It has no religious character and is led by headteacher Wendy Whitehouse. With 115 pupils on roll against a capacity of 105, the school is clearly popular, and the most recent admissions data for the 2025/26 intake confirms this: it was oversubscribed, receiving 35 total applications for 19 places, with 22 first-preference applications and all 19 first-preference offers going out. Only 3.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure well below the national average.

Academically, Hornton Primary School performs exceptionally well. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, the school retained its overall Good rating, with personal development judged Outstanding — the only category to reach that level. The early years provision, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management were all rated Good. At Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year, every single pupil met the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined — a perfect 100% — compared with the Oxfordshire local authority average of 61%. The proportion reaching the higher standard in reading, writing, and maths was 11%, while 67% achieved higher standard in reading, 33% in maths, and 22% in writing. Average scaled scores were 111 in reading and 108 in maths. Nationally, the school ranks 40th out of 13,686 primaries, and sixth in the South East region.

The school offers a strong range of facilities including a sports hall, playing fields, a library, an ICT suite, music rooms, a forest school area, and a chapel. Sports on offer include dance, tennis, football, cricket, swimming, cross country, and athletics, while clubs extend to drama, science club, coding, film club, art club, and choir. SEND provisions are in place for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, and hearing impairment. With a nursery on site and a clear record of strong academic outcomes, this school is particularly well suited to families in the Cherwell area who prioritise high attainment and a broad extracurricular offer. Its oversubscription means early application is essential, and the low FSM rate suggests a relatively affluent catchment.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Hornton Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents