The Priory Primary School

About The Priory Primary School

The Priory Primary School in Basingstoke and Deane holds a Good rating from its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2020, with the school's overall effectiveness judged as Good across the board. The most recent ungraded inspection in June 2025 noted that some aspects are not as strong as previously, though the school remains Good overall. On the key academic metric for primary schools, 64% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined in the 2023/24 KS2 assessments. That figure sits just above the Hampshire local authority average of 61%, placing the school 15th out of 40 primary schools in Basingstoke and Deane. Nationally, it ranks in the 45th percentile among all state primaries. The school's strongest individual subject performance was in reading, where 86% of pupils reached the expected standard and 41% achieved a higher score. Maths also performed well, with 82% at the expected level and an average scaled score of 105.

The Ofsted breakdown reveals a more nuanced picture. Personal development was rated Outstanding in the 2020 graded inspection, and this strength is reflected in the parent view data, where 95% of the 61 respondents would recommend the school. On the question of whether the school supports children's wider personal development, 90% of parents agreed or strongly agreed. Behaviour and attitudes were rated Good, and 88% of parents felt their child is happy at the school, with 97% agreeing their child feels safe. The school's early years provision was also rated Good. However, the 2025 ungraded inspection flagged that some aspects are not as strong, which may relate to the dip from the school's previous Outstanding rating in 2010. The school has a relatively small roll of 187 pupils against a capacity of 196, and just 5.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the national average.

The Priory Primary School is a mixed, non-denominational state primary for children aged 4 to 11, led by headteacher Matthew Walsh. It is heavily oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 76 applications for just 28 places, with 27 of the 28 first-preference applicants offered a place. The school offers a Forest School programme and has facilities including a library, sports hall and dining hall. Sports on offer include gymnastics, dance, netball, tennis, rounders and athletics, while clubs range from gardening and choir to coding and eco club. The school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. Among parents with SEND children, 83% agreed the school gives them the support they need. This is a school that suits families who value strong personal development and a broad range of activities alongside solid academic outcomes, and who are prepared for a competitive admissions process.

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