Oakley Vale Primary School

About Oakley Vale Primary School

Oakley Vale Primary School sits within the North Northamptonshire local authority, where it ranks 40th out of 90 primary schools on the key stage 2 expected standard measure. That places it in the top half of the county, though some distance behind the highest-performing local peers: Gretton Primary Academy, Stanion Church of England (Aided) Primary School, and Broughton Primary School all score in the 80s and 90s on the same metric. The school is a state-funded, mixed primary for ages 4 to 11, with no religious character and no nursery or sixth form provision. It is led by headteacher Sarah Sanders and currently operates at full capacity with 420 pupils. Just under 10% of its pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is slightly below the national average for primary schools. The school is clearly popular with local families: for the 2025/26 admissions round, it received 116 applications for 57 places, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of just over two applicants per place.

Academically, Oakley Vale performs solidly against local benchmarks. In the 2023/24 key stage 2 assessments, 63% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, just above the North Northamptonshire average of 61%. The school’s individual subject scores are broadly consistent: 75% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, 77% in maths, and 78% in writing. At the higher standard, the picture is more modest — only 3% of pupils achieved the higher benchmark across all three subjects, with maths the strongest at 13% and reading at 15%. Average scaled scores in reading and maths both sit at 103, which is in line with the national average. The school’s most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2017, rated it Good overall, with Good for leadership and management and Good for early years provision. An ungraded inspection in June 2023 confirmed the school remains Good and is described as improving.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a gymnasium, sports hall, playing fields, music rooms, art studios, an ICT suite, an outdoor playground, and a Forest School area. Sports provision includes football, cricket, rounders, cross country and dance, while clubs range from chess and choir to eco club, gardening and film club. Oakley Vale’s SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health support. Given its oversubscription and full capacity, families applying should be prepared for competition, particularly for first-preference places — 44 of the 44 first-preference applicants were offered places in the most recent round. This is a school that suits families looking for a well-equipped, community-focused primary with solid but not exceptional academic outcomes, set within a competitive local admissions landscape.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Oakley Vale Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents