School Chooser

Wansdyke School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademy237 pupilsDevizesWiltshire
School Chooser Score
63
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 41 to 81
Out of 100. Better than 68% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedAs expected teachingOfsted report card, April 2026
Reached the expected level at 1154%England 63%
Attendance95.9%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families20%A bit fewer than most schools
PlacesFull237 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher22.0School workforce census

Wansdyke School is a converter academy in Devizes for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 237 pupils, 27 more than it has places for. About 20 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 63 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 68% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in April 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Downlands Road, Devizes, SN10 5EF01380 725234wansdyke.wilts.sch.ukMr Samuel Heard headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 28 April 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
Strong
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
Strong
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
Strong
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
Strong
Early years
Strong
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
18 November 2021UngradedSchool remains Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1154%
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 score108.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score107.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 64%64%20172018: 66%66%20182019: 63%63%20192023: 61%61%20232024: 68%68%20242025: 54%54%2025
Since 2017: -10%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017WiltshireEngland
Pupils tested393138353233
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths54%68%61%63%66%64%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths10%6%5%11%13%15%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score108.0108.0107.0105.0107.0107.0105.4105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score107.0105.0107.0107.0107.0107.0103.9104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score108.0108.0104.0107.0109.0109.0104.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard64%77%68%69%78%73%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard64%74%79%77%69%76%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)67%77%66%69%78%79%
Reading progressReading progress score-1.9+0.9+1.2+0.7
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.7+2.0+1.4+1.5
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged0%30%33%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged64%86%66%

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
0%64%
Gap 64 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
50%57%
Gap 7 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.

Full235 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
112% full

The school is full, with 25 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

The last child to get a place lived 0.8 miles away in 2026. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.

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. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 0.8 miles from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.

EntryPlacesGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary30300.8 milesLA

What a home within 0.8 miles of the school costs

Typical sale price within 0.8 miles of the school£270,000half sold for £191k to £400k
Homes sold362December 2023 to December 2025, Land Registry
Compared with the district-16%a typical home in the district sells for £320,000

Every home sold within that distance of the school (the typical cut-off over the last three years), of any type, from HM Land Registry records. If homes here cost more than the district average, that is the price people pay to live close enough to get in.

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 roll237Census January 2026
Places210113% full
Pupils from low-income families20%20% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English2%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support17%40 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan15%35 pupils with a plan
Average class size26.39 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)19%£69,750 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls137 / 100
White British pupils90%

Specialist SEND provision. SEN unit with 28 pupils, for autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment, social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication, severe learning difficulties, visual impairment.

To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Wiltshire with autism provision.

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.7 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.8 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (26), Moderate learning difficulty (21), emotional and mental health (7), Specific learning difficulty (7), Autistic spectrum disorder (6), Other difficulty or disability (3).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll237236233233237232
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals20%17%19%16%14%13%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language2%2%3%2%1%2%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support17%15%19%13%11%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans13%13%12%13%11%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.9% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.9%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school7.7%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.8%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.1%4.4%3.8%5.0%2.7%3.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.3%3.4%3.2%4.5%2.4%2.9%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.8%0.9%0.6%0.5%0.3%0.3%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence7.7%6.9%5.2%11.1%4.4%4.5%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.40.00.80.4
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers10.8full-time equivalent, 14 people
Pupils per teacher22.0Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants10.4full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£50,018
Teachers who left in the year22%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher1.92024/25

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£6,695England £7,128. Total £1.6m
Income per pupil£7,847England £7,587. Total £1.9m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,500England £3,405
Money in reserve13%A healthy amount put by: £245k, £1,038 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£272kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,695spent 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 m6312 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate68 per 1,000 people25% lower than the England average
Typical house price£320,000Wiltshire
Nearest bus stop100 mWick Lane, 11 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
Southbroom St James AcademyAcademy720 m108Not inspected16Compare
Southbroom Infants' SchoolAcademy780 m71No overall grade 202561Compare
Nursteed Community Primary SchoolCouncil0.9 miles182Report card 20264Compare
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, DevizesAcademy0.9 miles165Good 20228Compare
The Trinity Church of England Primary AcademyAcademy1.1 miles192Good 202412Compare
Rowde CofE AcademyAcademy2.0 miles115Good 202471Compare
Urchfont Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy2.7 miles83Good 2023Compare
Five Lanes Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy2.9 miles47Requires improvement 2024Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Wansdyke School 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.

Beats68%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 63 is 19 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 7 · middle 44 · highest 99100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 63 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 63% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 41 to 81. 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
+0.03
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 39 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%above
+0.12
Ofsted report card, 0.4 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.08
DfE progress measure; 39 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
-0.01
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.07
2024/25; 209 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
+0.03
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 39 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 Wansdyke School a good school?

It is about average. Wansdyke School scores 63 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 68% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 41 to 81, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Wansdyke School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 28 April 2026 it rated teaching as as expected, achievement as strong, behaviour and attendance as strong, leadership as strong.

How good are Wansdyke School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 54% 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 Wansdyke School have?

237 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 113% full.

Is Wansdyke School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?

Yes. For September 2026 the last place went to a child living 0.8 miles away. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.

What is attendance like at Wansdyke School?

Pupils were in school 95.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 8% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Wansdyke School?

The average class had 26.3 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does Wansdyke School have specialist SEND provision?

Yes. It has sen unit for autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment, social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication, severe learning difficulties, visual impairment. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.

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

Contact and details

Address
Downlands Road, Devizes, SN10 5EF
Telephone
01380 725234
Website
www.wansdyke.wilts.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mr Samuel Heard
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Acorn Education Trust (21 schools)
Local authority
Wiltshire
Ward
Devizes South
Constituency
Melksham and Devizes
Setting
Urban: Further from a major town or city
Opened
1 February 2013 (academy converter)
URN
139303 · LAESTAB 8652193 · UKPRN 10040184
Formerly
Wansdyke Community School

Where these figures come from