School Chooser

Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School

Primary · ages 5-11MixedChurch of England239 pupilsOswestryShropshire
School Chooser Score
29
Below
similar schools
Likely range 17 to 49, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 8% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, October 2024
Reached the expected level at 1152%England 63%
Attendance94.4%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families13%Far fewer than most schools
PlacesFull239 pupils, 228 places
Pupils per teacher20.2School workforce census

Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary aided) in Oswestry for boys and girls aged 5 to 11. It has 239 pupils, 11 more than it has places for. About 13 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 29 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 8% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2024, no overall grade.

Station Road, Whittington, Oswestry, SY11 4DA01691 662269whittingtonschool.co.ukMr Carl Rogers headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 1 October 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

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

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1152%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score104.0
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: 75%75%20172018: 84%84%20182019: 87%87%20192023: 0%0%20232024: 59%59%20242025: 52%52%2025
Since 2017: -23%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017ShropshireEngland
Pupils tested333431312532
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths52%59%0%87%84%75%59%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%6%0%6%4%13%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0104.0107.0109.0109.0108.0105.0105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score107.0105.0107.0106.0107.0106.0103.5104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0102.0105.0108.0106.0107.0104.2105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard67%74%87%97%92%84%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard88%79%87%94%92%81%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)61%62%0%90%84%78%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.4+5.3+3.5+2.5
Maths progressMaths progress score+1.2+2.0+2.7+0.4
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged25%29%0%100%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged60%67%0%83%

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. 2 of the 3 gaps are 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
25%60%
Gap 35 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
53%50%
Gap 3 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 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.

Full236 pupils for 225 places, 2024/25
105% full

The school is full, with 11 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 grown by 7% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.

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 (32 offers for 45 places).

EntryPlacesPut it firstApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary45327632all 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 roll239Census January 2026
Places228105% full
Pupils from low-income families13%13% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English0%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support10%24 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan11%27 pupils with a plan
Average class size26.69 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils33%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)11%£40,300 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls125 / 114
White British pupils93%

Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) with 13 pupils, for autism, social, emotional and mental health.

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 Shropshire with autism provision.

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 21.4 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 33.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (16), emotional and mental health (9), language and communications needs (9), Autistic spectrum disorder (7), Physical disability (7), Severe learning difficulty (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll239231238227220221
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals13%14%15%19%18%17%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language0%0%1%2%2%3%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support10%10%11%10%14%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans13%9%8%5%5%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.4% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.4%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school13.5%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.1%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.6%6.3%6.1%5.3%2.1%4.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.5%4.9%4.3%5.0%1.8%3.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.1%1.4%1.9%0.4%0.3%0.8%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence13.5%12.4%15.7%12.3%3.1%8.4%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.00.00.00.9
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, 15 people
Pupils per teacher20.2Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers93%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants15.7full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£50,614
Teachers who left in the year8%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher5.62024/25

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£7,918England £7,738. Total £1.8m
Income per pupil£7,652England £7,697. Total £1.8m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,040England £3,480
Money in reserve5%Not much put by: £90k, £389 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£62kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£7,918spent 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 m5712 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate36 per 1,000 people60% lower than the England average
Typical house price£275,000Shropshire

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
The Meadows Primary SchoolCouncil1.6 miles268Good 202231Compare
Holy Trinity Church of England Primary Academy and NurseryAcademy1.9 miles316Good 202347Compare
Woodside Primary SchoolAcademy2.2 miles558Not inspected19Compare
Gobowen Primary SchoolCouncil2.5 miles224Good 202480Compare
Our Lady and St Oswald's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary AcademyAcademy2.7 miles130Good 2022Compare
Morda CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England3.2 miles126Good 202331Compare
St Martins School (3-16 Learning Community)Academy3.3 miles703Good 202321Compare
West Felton Church of England Primary School and NurseryAcademy3.5 miles167Good 2022Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School with the 49 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 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats8%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the bottom of its group. Its score of 29 is 46 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 75 · highest 98100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 29 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 29% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 17 to 49. 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
-0.04
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 33 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 1.9 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.18
Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 33 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.05
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
-0.01
2024/25; 215 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.09
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 33 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 Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School scores 29 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 8% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 17 to 49, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School not judged at its last full inspection on 1 October 2024.

How good are Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 52% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School have?

239 pupils aged 5 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 228 places, so it is 105% full.

Is Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably. The school was full in 2024/25, with 11 more pupils than places. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.

What is attendance like at Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School?

Pupils were in school 94.4% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 13% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School?

The average class had 26.6 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 33% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School have specialist SEND provision?

Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) for autism, social, emotional and mental health. 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
Station Road, Whittington, Oswestry, SY11 4DA
Telephone
01691 662269
Website
www.whittingtonschool.co.uk
Headteacher
Mr Carl Rogers
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 5-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Lichfield
Local authority
Shropshire
Ward
Whittington
Constituency
North Shropshire
Setting
Larger rural: Further from a major town or city
URN
123549 · LAESTAB 8933329 · UKPRN 10076326

Where these figures come from