School Chooser

West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademy276 pupilsNurseryKidlingtonOxfordshire
School Chooser Score
74
Above
similar schools
Likely range 53 to 86, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 60% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, September 2019
Reached the expected level at 1176%England 63%
Attendance95.6%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families14%Far fewer than most schools
Places199 spare276 pupils, 475 places
Pupils per teacher23.3School workforce census

West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School is a sponsored academy in Kidlington for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 276 pupils and room for 475. About 14 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 74 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 60% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2019.

Oxford Road, Kidlington, OX5 1EA01865 373369Mr Simon Isherwood headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 24 September 2019, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A later, shorter visit on 4 June 2025 said: “Standards maintained”.

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

This inspection is more than 7 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
4 June 2025UngradedStandards maintained

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1176%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level12%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
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: 56%56%20172018: 62%62%20182019: 62%62%20192023: 54%54%20232024: 58%58%20242025: 76%76%2025
Since 2017: +20%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017†OxfordshireEngland
Pupils tested344350555359
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths76%58%54%62%62%56%63%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths12%9%6%9%11%7%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0105.0106.0104.0104.0102.0106.1105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score105.0104.0104.0104.0105.0104.0104.4104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score107.0104.0104.0105.0103.0104.0104.8105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard85%77%68%64%74%66%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard85%72%70%84%77%76%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)88%77%76%87%89%78%
Reading progressReading progress score+1.4+0.7+0.7-1.5
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.1+0.5+1.8+0.3
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged57%31%36%64%20%50%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged81%70%61%61%72%57%

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.

† These results are for West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School, the school this one replaced in May 2017. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

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
57%81%
Gap 24 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
81%69%
Gap 12 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
100%76%
Gap 24 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%12%
Gap 12 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.

Plenty of spare places261 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
62% full

159 places were empty (38% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 13% 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 (28 offers for 30 places). 28 families put it down as their first choice and 28 of them got in (100%).

EntryPlacesPut it firstApplied at allGot a placeFirst choices who got inHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary30287728100%all offeredLA
2025 Primary3033803091%1.0 milesLA
2024 Primary60348934100%all offeredLA
2023 Primary30369036100%4.4 milesLA
2022 Primary60318632100%all offeredLA
2021 Primary60367636100%all offeredLA
2020 Primary60369437100%all offeredLA
2019 Primary60477547100%all offeredLA

The distances are the council's own, usually measured in a straight line from home to the school gate. If the distance is getting shorter each year, the school is getting harder to get into. See which councils we have this data for.

What a home within 1.0 miles of the school costs

Typical sale price within 1.0 miles of the school£384,950half sold for £315k to £460k
Homes sold377December 2023 to December 2025, Land Registry
Compared with the district+8%a typical home in the district sells for £355,000

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 roll276Census January 2026
Places47558% full
Pupils from low-income families14%14% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English31%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support9%25 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan6%16 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.410 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)15%£60,450 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls148 / 128
White British pupils57%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 23.3 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 26.8 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (12), Moderate learning difficulty (11), language and communications needs (7), Specific learning difficulty (3), Hearing impairment (2), Profound and multiple learning difficulty (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll276297331338337363
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals14%16%18%20%16%12%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language31%27%27%25%20%20%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support8%11%7%7%6%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans5%4%4%2%2%

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 school10.5%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.3%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.4%4.8%5.0%5.9%5.2%3.5%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.1%3.9%4.2%5.2%4.7%2.9%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.3%1.0%0.8%0.7%0.5%0.6%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence10.5%10.2%10.8%16.8%13.2%5.4%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.61.20.92.2
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers11.8full-time equivalent, 14 people
Pupils per teacher23.3Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers93%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants10.6full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,464
Teachers who left in the year15%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher0.02024/25

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£6,007England £7,128. Total £1.7m
Income per pupil£7,000England £7,587. Total £2.0m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,215England £3,405
Money in reserve9%A healthy amount put by: £176k, £621 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£282kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,007spent 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 m12412 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate37 per 1,000 people60% lower than the England average
Typical house price£355,000Cherwell
Nearest bus stop190 mGosford Hill, 9 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
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, KidlingtonAcademy0 m235No overall grade 202597Compare
Edward Feild Primary SchoolAcademy460 m293Good 2022Compare
North Kidlington Primary SchoolCouncil0.7 miles268Good 202448Compare
William Fletcher Primary SchoolCouncil1.4 miles210Good 202363Compare
Dr South's Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy2.0 miles97Not inspected94Compare
Wolvercote Primary SchoolAcademy2.2 miles338Good 202480Compare
Cutteslowe Primary SchoolAcademy2.2 miles304Good 202053Compare
Bletchingdon Parochial Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England2.8 miles77Not inspected33Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares West Kidlington Primary and Nursery 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.

Beats60%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 74 is 7 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 12 · middle 67 · highest 99100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 74 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 74% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 53 to 86. 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
+0.07
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 34 pupils
Ofsted inspection10% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 7.0 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.05
DfE progress measure; 34 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.15
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.05
2024/25; 239 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.04
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 34 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 West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School scores 74 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 60% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 53 to 86, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

What is West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School good at its last full inspection on 24 September 2019. 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 West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 76% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 12% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School have?

276 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 475 places, so it is 58% full.

Is West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 159 places were empty in 2024/25 (38% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School?

Pupils were in school 95.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 10% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School?

The average class had 25.4 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
Oxford Road, Kidlington, OX5 1EA
Telephone
01865 373369
Headteacher
Mr Simon Isherwood
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
The White Horse Federation (30 schools)
Local authority
Oxfordshire
Ward
Kidlington East
Constituency
Bicester and Woodstock
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 May 2017 (new provision)
URN
144398 · LAESTAB 9312021 · UKPRN 10063829
Formerly
West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School

Where these figures come from