Wistanstow CofE Primary School

About Wistanstow CofE Primary School

Wistanstow CofE Primary School in Shropshire received a Requires Improvement rating from Ofsted following its graded inspection in October 2024, a downgrade from the Good rating it had held since its previous inspection in 2015. The most telling academic metric comes from the school's Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 academic year, where zero per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. This figure sits well below the Shropshire local authority average of 59 per cent. Broken down by subject, 38 per cent of pupils met the expected standard in reading, 50 per cent in maths, and just 13 per cent in writing. No pupils achieved the higher standard in any of the three subjects. The school's average scaled scores were 98 in reading and 99 in maths, both below the national benchmark of 100. These outcomes place Wistanstow at the very bottom of Shropshire's 88 primary schools in the local rankings, and in the bottom one per cent nationally.

Ofsted's inspection report noted that while behaviour and attitudes, and personal development, were both rated Good, the quality of education and early years provision both require improvement, as does leadership and management. The school is small, with 52 pupils on roll against a capacity of 84, and 5.8 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals. Parent View responses from 11 parents in the 2024/25 survey period show a mixed picture: 55 per cent would recommend the school, and 45 per cent would not. While 100 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their child feels safe, only 27 per cent agreed that their child is happy at the school. Concerns about communication are evident, with 36 per cent disagreeing that the school makes them aware of what their child will learn, and 36 per cent disagreeing that concerns are dealt with properly.

The school offers a range of facilities including a Forest School, library, art studios, outdoor playground, dining hall and chapel. Sports provision includes dance, netball, athletics and swimming, and clubs cover gardening, coding, drama, science, eco and art. SEND support is listed for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty and other difficulty or disability, though no parents responded to the Parent View question on SEND support. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed, receiving 18 total applications for 9 places, with all 9 first-preference applicants offered a place. This suggests a committed local community despite the academic and Ofsted challenges. Wistanstow may suit families who prioritise the Church of England character, small class sizes and outdoor learning, but those focused on strong academic outcomes at Key Stage 2 will want to look closely at the current results and the school's improvement trajectory under headteacher Marilyn Hunt.

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