Orchard Meadow Primary School

About Orchard Meadow Primary School

Orchard Meadow Primary School sits within Oxfordshire’s local authority, a state-funded mixed primary for children aged 3 to 11. Among the 242 primary schools in the county, it ranks 167th on the key stage 2 expected standard measure, placing it in the bottom half of schools locally. For context, the top-performing peers in the same authority include Longworth Primary School, Hornton Primary School, and Brightwell-Cum-Sotwell Church of England Primary School, all of which achieved higher ranking scores. The school’s rank within the city of Oxford itself is 26th out of 31 primaries, a position that reflects the competitive landscape of the area. Headteacher Emilie Fidler leads a relatively small school of 217 pupils, well under its capacity of 472, and 44.2 per cent of children are eligible for free school meals, a figure that is notably high and suggests a community with significant socioeconomic diversity.

Academically, Orchard Meadow’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated the school as Good overall, with all assessed categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — each receiving a Good grade. This marks a substantial improvement from its previous inspection in 2016, when the school was rated Inadequate. In the 2023/24 key stage 2 assessments, 50 per cent of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the Oxfordshire local authority average of 61 per cent. Subject-level results show 70 per cent reached the expected standard in reading and 70 per cent in maths, while writing lagged at 55 per cent. Higher-standard attainment was low: 10 per cent in reading, 5 per cent in maths, and none in writing. Average scaled scores were 102 in reading and 101 in maths, both just above the national baseline of 100.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a library, art studios, music rooms, a gymnasium, playing fields, and a forest school, alongside clubs such as choir, drama, eco club, gardening, and chess. Sports provision covers football, netball, cricket, tennis, rounders, cross country, and dance. For children with additional needs, Orchard Meadow has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake: 45 applications were received for 16 places, with all 16 first-preference applicants offered a spot, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.81. It also offers nursery provision, which may appeal to families looking for continuity from early years through to Year 6. This is a school that has turned around from a difficult past and now serves a diverse, high-need community with a clear focus on steady improvement.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Orchard Meadow Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents