St Swithun's CofE Primary School

About St Swithun's CofE Primary School

St Swithun's CofE Primary School in the Vale of White Horse was rated Good overall by Ofsted in its most recent inspection in 2022, with a standout Outstanding grade for early years provision. That early years rating is the highest mark available and suggests a strong foundation for children joining the school from age three. On the key academic metric for primary schools, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 57% in the 2023/24 academic year. That figure sits just below the Oxfordshire local authority average of 61% for similar schools. The school's ranking within the Vale of White Horse places it 26th out of 47 primary schools on this measure, putting it in the bottom half of the district. Nationally, it sits around the 64th percentile, meaning roughly a third of primary schools across England outperform it on this combined measure.

Looking more closely at the individual subject results, the school's strongest area is writing, where 75% of pupils met the expected standard, compared with 69% in maths and 67% in reading. At the higher standard, 31% of pupils achieved above expectations in reading, 26% in maths and 20% in writing, with 11% reaching the higher bar across all three subjects. The average scaled scores in reading and maths were both 104, which is in line with the national average of 100. The school does not publish progress scores for its pupils, so it is not possible to see how much value it adds relative to starting points. Ofsted rated both the quality of education and personal development as Good, while behaviour and attitudes and leadership and management also received Good grades. The previous inspection in 2011 also awarded an overall Good rating, so the school has maintained a consistent standard over time.

The school is at full capacity with 427 pupils and was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry, receiving 93 applications for 53 places, with all first-preference applicants offered a spot. Facilities include a sensory room, library, playing fields, gymnasium, sports hall, ICT suite and a chapel, reflecting its Church of England foundation. Sports on offer include football, cricket, swimming, rounders, dance, cross country and athletics, while clubs cover choir, art, drama and book club. The school has a broad range of SEND provisions, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate and profound multiple learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, physical disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a solid, well-run village primary that suits families who value a Good-rated school with strong early years provision and a full range of support for additional needs, though those prioritising top-tier academic results may want to look at higher-ranked peers in the area.

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