St John's CofE School

About St John's CofE School

St John's CofE School in Wiltshire is a primary school that parents clearly want to get into. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 29 applications for just 15 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.93. Of those, 20 families put it as their first preference, and 14 of them were offered a spot. That level of demand suggests a strong local reputation, though the school doesn't publish a parent satisfaction survey percentage to back that up directly. The school is a Church of England state primary for mixed genders from ages 5 to 11, with headteacher Daniel Hortop at the helm. It's a relatively small school, with 106 pupils on roll against a capacity of 147, so there is some room to grow. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 22.6%, which is above the national average and gives a sense of the community it serves.

Academically, St John's performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 70% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to the Wiltshire average of 58%. That puts the school 37th out of 159 primary schools in the county, placing it in the top quarter locally. In reading, 91% met the expected standard and 43% reached the higher standard, with an average score of 107. Maths saw 87% at expected and 26% at higher, with an average score of 104. Writing was slightly lower, with 83% at expected and 13% at higher. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2021 rated it Good overall, with all categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — all judged Good. This is a notable improvement from its previous inspection in 2015, when it was rated Requires Improvement.

The school offers a solid range of facilities and activities for its size, including an ICT suite, sensory room, music rooms, art studios, an outdoor playground, a dining hall, a forest school and a chapel. Sports on offer include cross country, tennis, athletics, rounders and football, while clubs range from film and science to book and gardening clubs. For children with additional needs, the school lists provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. With its strong academic results, clear oversubscription and Church of England character, St John's is likely to suit families who want a well-regarded village-style primary with a faith foundation and who are prepared to apply early to secure a place.

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