Classpot

Pillowell Community Primary School

Forest of Dean, GL15 4QTPrimaryAges 4–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Requires Improvement
Oct 2023
KS2 Results
43%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.1×
Oversubscribed
13 1st-choice / 12 places
Ranking
#11,997
of 13,686 nationally

About Pillowell Community Primary School

Pillowell Community Primary School is a small state primary in the Forest of Dean, and the numbers suggest it is a school that local families are keen to get into. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 30 applications for just 12 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.5. Of those applicants, 13 put it as their first preference, and 11 first-preference offers were made. That level of demand is notable for a school with only 74 pupils on roll, and it hints at a strong local reputation. However, the most recent parent view data is not available in the school's records, so it is hard to gauge current parental satisfaction directly. What is clear is that the school is not resting on its laurels: it was rated Requires Improvement overall in its 2023 Ofsted inspection, a drop from its previous Good rating in 2014, and the leadership and management were also judged to require improvement. That said, inspectors rated behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision as Good, so there are clear strengths to build on.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range4 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressSchool Road, Lydney, Forest of Dean, GL15 4QT
HeadteacherKirsty Evans
Local AuthorityGloucestershire
Number of Pupils74
Free School Meals (FSM)17.6%
School Capacity74 / 84 (88% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

10 Oct 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement
Early Years Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 29 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
LibraryPlaying FieldsOutdoor PlaygroundSports HallICT SuiteSensory RoomGymnasiumChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

7

Sports

RoundersNetballCross CountryAthletics

Clubs & Activities

ChessScience ClubChoir

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

Mental HealthSpeech & LanguageLearning Difficulty

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Pillowell Community Primary School

Pillowell Community Primary School has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.