Swell Church of England Primary School

About Swell Church of England Primary School

Swell Church of England Primary School’s key stage 2 headline measure sits slightly above the local authority average for its type, with 63% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Gloucestershire average of 59%. That four-point gap is modest but consistent across individual subjects: 88% met the expected standard in reading, 75% in writing and 63% in maths. The school’s ranking within the Cotswold district places it 18th out of 38 primary schools, putting it in the middle of the pack locally and just inside the bottom half nationally. What stands out is that no pupils reached the higher standard in reading or maths, though a quarter did so in writing. With only 36 pupils on roll against a capacity of 56, this is a very small school where individual results can swing noticeably from year to year. The most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2017, rated the school Good overall, with Good marks for leadership and management, early years provision and the quality of education.

Academically, the picture is one of solid but not exceptional performance. The average reading score was 103, while the average maths score of 98 sits a few points below the national average. Progress measures for reading, writing and maths were not published in the data, so it is difficult to say whether pupils here are making the expected gains relative to their starting points. The school’s ranking score of 63 out of 100 places it in the bottom 50% nationally, though within the South West region it sits around the 45th percentile. For context, the top-performing schools in the same local authority, such as Meysey Hampton and Temple Guiting, achieved perfect ranking scores of 100. Swell’s results suggest a school that delivers a reliable standard of core learning, particularly in reading, but where stretching the most able pupils remains a work in progress. The small cohort size means these figures should be read with caution, as a single pupil’s performance can shift percentages significantly.

Swell Church of England Primary School is heavily oversubscribed for its 2025/26 reception intake, with 12 applications for just 2 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 6 to 1. All first-preference applicants were offered a place, which suggests strong local demand but very limited capacity. The school offers a nursery provision, which may help families secure a feeder route into the main school. Facilities include a sports hall, music rooms, a sensory room, a forest school area and a chapel, which is unusual for a primary of this size. The range of clubs is broad for a small school, covering gardening, drama, book club, film club, choir and art club, while sports include athletics, rounders, swimming and football. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. This is a church school with a strong community feel, best suited to families who value a small, rural setting and are comfortable with the limited number of places available.

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