School Chooser

St Sampson's Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedChurch of England282 pupilsSwindonWiltshire
School Chooser Score
50
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 31 to 70
Out of 100. Better than 52% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedAs expected teachingOfsted report card, February 2026
Reached the expected level at 1160%England 63%
Attendance95.6%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families16%Far fewer than most schools
Parents would recommend90%107 Parent View responses
Places138 spare282 pupils, 420 places

St Sampson's Church of England Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary controlled) in Swindon for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 282 pupils and room for 420. About 16 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 51 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 52% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in February 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Bath Road, Cricklade, Swindon, SN6 6AX01793 750452st-sampsons.wilts.sch.ukMrs Jennifer Bayne headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 24 February 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
As expected
Achievement
As expected
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
Strong
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
As expected
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
Strong
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
As expected
Early years
As expected
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
10 November 2021UngradedSchool remains Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

42 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1160%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level10%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score105.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 59%59%20172018: 50%50%20182019: 64%64%20192023: 62%62%20232024: 56%56%20242025: 60%60%2025
Since 2017: +1%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017WiltshireEngland
Pupils tested423452504241
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths60%56%62%64%50%59%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths10%9%8%8%10%0%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score105.0105.0105.0105.0105.0107.0105.4105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0104.0104.0105.0103.0102.0103.9104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0105.0105.0105.0106.0105.0104.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard67%85%73%76%64%76%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard76%74%77%82%62%68%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)69%71%69%78%71%68%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.9-0.6+0.4+1.3
Maths progressMaths progress score+1.0-1.3-1.3-1.3
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged13%13%30%10%14%13%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged71%69%69%78%57%70%

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.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
13%71%
Gap 58 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
55%65%
Gap 10 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%10%
Gap 10 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

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 places287 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
68% full

133 places were empty (32% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 8% 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 (23 offers for 60 places).

EntryPlacesGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary6023all offeredLA

What parents say

Would recommend the school90%England 87%
My child is happy here88%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe92%
Positive overall79%
My child is happy at this school
88%England 89%
My child feels safe at this school
92%England 90%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
85%England 83%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
23% yesEngland 18%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
40%England 50%
My child gets the right support to learn well
77%England 85%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
32% yesEngland 26%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
53%England 71%
The school communicates well with me
80%England 80%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
64%England 69%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
81%England 82%
I would recommend this school
90%England 87%
Overall view of the school is positive
79%England 82%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 107 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for primary schools with enough answers to publish.

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 roll282Census January 2026
Places42067% full
Pupils from low-income families16%16% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English4%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support20%55 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan5%13 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.89 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils11%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)16%£68,200 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls133 / 149
White British pupils77%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (25), language and communications needs (19), Autistic spectrum disorder (7), emotional and mental health (6), Specific learning difficulty (5), Physical disability (3).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll282285285306315306
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals16%14%14%15%16%17%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language4%4%3%3%4%1%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support19%18%19%20%19%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%3%2%2%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.6%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school10.9%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils1.42024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.1%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.4%4.5%6.3%5.9%4.2%4.7%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.3%2.0%2.9%3.3%2.1%2.1%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.1%2.6%3.4%2.6%2.1%2.6%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence10.9%11.3%19.5%18.3%13.6%12.6%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate1.40.70.00.30.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers13.4full-time equivalent, 18 people
Pupils per teacher21.0Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants6.1full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,062
Teachers who left in the year18%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.22024/25

Money

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

Spend per pupil£6,117England £7,738. Total £1.7m
Income per pupil£5,898England £7,697. Total £1.7m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,631England £3,480
Money in reserve7%Not much put by: £113k, £397 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£63kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£6,117spent 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 m16512 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate44 per 1,000 people51% lower than the England average
Typical house price£320,000Wiltshire
Nearest bus stop180 mHigh Street, 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
Down Ampney Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy2.3 miles59Not inspectedCompare
William Morris Primary SchoolFree school2.7 miles462Good 202394Compare
Oakhurst Community Primary SchoolAcademy2.9 miles397Report card 202649Compare
Red Oaks Primary SchoolAcademy2.9 miles461Good 202436Compare
Tadpole Farm CofE Primary AcademyAcademy3.2 miles419Good 202414Compare
Abbey Farm Educate Together PrimaryFree school3.3 miles184No overall grade 202586Compare
Ashton Keynes Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England3.4 miles207Good 202394Compare
Bridlewood Primary SchoolAcademy3.5 miles213Report card 202530Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Sampson's Church of England Primary School with the 46 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 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats52%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 51 is about the same as the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 5 · middle 50 · highest 89100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 51 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 51% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 31 to 70. 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
-0.02
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 42 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
-0.04
Ofsted report card, 0.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.03
DfE progress measure; 42 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
+0.01
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.04
2024/25; 267 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.04
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 42 pupils
What parents say5%in line
+0.01
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 107 responses

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 St Sampson's Church of England Primary School a good school?

It is about average. St Sampson's Church of England Primary School scores 51 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 52% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 31 to 70, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is St Sampson's Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 24 February 2026 it rated teaching as as expected, achievement as as expected, behaviour and attendance as strong, leadership as as expected.

How good are St Sampson's Church of England Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 60% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 10% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St Sampson's Church of England Primary School have?

282 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 420 places, so it is 67% full.

Is St Sampson's Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 133 places were empty in 2024/25 (32% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at St Sampson's Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 95.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 11% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about St Sampson's Church of England Primary School?

90% of the 107 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 88% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at St Sampson's Church of England Primary School?

The average class had 25.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 11% of classes 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
Bath Road, Cricklade, Swindon, SN6 6AX
Telephone
01793 750452
Website
www.st-sampsons.wilts.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Jennifer Bayne
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary controlled) (Voluntary controlled school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Bristol
Local authority
Wiltshire
Ward
Cricklade & Latton
Constituency
South Cotswolds
Setting
Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
126317 · LAESTAB 8653045 · UKPRN 10075444
Formerly
St Sampson's Infants' School

Where these figures come from