School Chooser

North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademyChurch of England43 pupilsCirencesterGloucestershire
School Chooser Score
47
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 14 to 83, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 49% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, April 2022
Reached the expected level at 1163%England 63%
Attendance92.6%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families7%Far fewer than most schools
Places27 spare43 pupils, 70 places
Pupils per teacher14.9School workforce census

North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy is a converter academy in Cirencester for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 43 pupils and room for 70. About 7 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 47 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 49% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2022.

North Cerney, Cirencester, GL7 7BZ01285 831310northcerney.gloucs.sch.ukMrs Suki Pascoe executive headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 26 April 2022, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

This inspection is more than 4 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

8 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.

Reached the expected level at 1163%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level38%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score111.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score105.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 38%38%20172018: 67%67%20182019: 75%75%20192023: 64%64%20232024: 83%83%20242025: 63%63%2025
Since 2017: +25%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017GloucestershireEngland
Pupils tested8614868
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths63%83%64%75%67%38%62%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths38%17%21%0%17%0%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score111.0112.0111.0108.0108.0108.0106.3105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score105.0109.0104.0102.0105.0104.0104.4104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score108.0107.0106.0105.0106.0105.0105.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard63%83%93%100%100%88%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard63%83%71%75%67%75%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)75%83%79%100%100%38%
Reading progressReading progress score+5.8+4.9+3.2
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.4-3.0-0.4

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Plenty of spare places50 pupils for 70 places, 2024/25
71% full

20 places were empty (29% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 4% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (4 offers for 10 places).

EntryPlacesPut it firstApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary104134all offeredLA
2025 Primary104165all offeredLA
2024 Primary106229all offeredLA
2023 Primary106176all offeredLA
2022 Primary10595all offeredLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll43Census January 2026
Places7061% full
Pupils from low-income families7%7% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English2%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support30%13 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%1 pupil with a plan
Average class size14.33 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)5%£3,100 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls20 / 23
White British pupils95%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (8), emotional and mental health (4), Autistic spectrum disorder (1), language and communications needs (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll435252564853
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals7%8%12%9%13%17%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language2%0%0%4%0%2%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support21%21%23%25%13%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans8%8%2%2%4%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance92.6%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school11.6%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.9%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence7.4%8.1%7.3%6.6%2.8%3.6%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.5%4.9%6.3%6.3%2.6%2.5%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.9%3.2%1.0%0.4%0.2%1.1%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence11.6%24.5%17.9%21.3%4.1%6.5%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.01.90.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers2.9full-time equivalent, 3 people
Pupils per teacher14.9Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants2.1full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£43,753
Teachers who left in the year71%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.02024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£9,481England £7,128. Total £493k
Income per pupil£10,558England £7,587. Total £549k
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,942England £3,405
Money in reserve6%Not much put by: £33k, £637 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£56kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£9,481spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m212 months to June 2026, mostly public order
Local crime rate27 per 1,000 people71% lower than the England average
Typical house price£450,000Cotswold
Nearest bus stop20 mNorth Cerney School, 7 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Stratton Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England2.7 miles191Good 202367Compare
St Andrew's Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy3.0 miles54No overall grade 2024Compare
Powell's Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England3.6 miles421Outstanding 202497Compare
Watermoor Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy4.0 miles183No overall grade 202520Compare
Cirencester Primary SchoolCouncil4.1 miles336Good 202213Compare
Chesterton Primary SchoolAcademy4.5 miles187No overall grade 202527Compare
Ampney Crucis Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England4.9 miles93No overall grade 202583Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy with the 47 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 47 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats49%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 47 is 4 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 51 · highest 98100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 47 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 47% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 14 to 83. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
-0.01
2023 results; 14 pupils
Ofsted inspection17% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 4.4 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.10
DfE progress measure; 14 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.25
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
-0.02
2024/25; 43 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well above
+0.13
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 14 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy a good school?

It is about average. North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy scores 47 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 49% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 14 to 83, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy good at its last full inspection on 26 April 2022. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.

How good are North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 63% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 38% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.

How many pupils does North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy have?

43 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 70 places, so it is 61% full.

Is North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy oversubscribed?

Probably not. 20 places were empty in 2024/25 (29% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy?

Pupils were in school 92.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 12% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy?

The average class had 14.3 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
North Cerney, Cirencester, GL7 7BZ
Telephone
01285 831310
Website
www.northcerney.gloucs.sch.uk
Executive Headteacher
Mrs Suki Pascoe
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Gloucester
Multi-academy trust
The Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust (25 schools)
Local authority
Gloucestershire
Ward
Chedworth & Churn Valley
Constituency
North Cotswolds
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 November 2015 (academy converter)
URN
142438 · LAESTAB 9163055 · UKPRN 10054613
Formerly
North Cerney Church of England Primary School

Where these figures come from