Arksey Primary School, Doncaster
Arksey Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Doncaster. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, ended in a report card: 7 strong standard. Before that it was rated Good at its last graded inspection, in September 2012. Its 2024 Key Stage 2 results were the 23rd-highest of the 95 schools in Doncaster with published results, and 3,886th of 13,912 across England. It was 53% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted report card
- 7 of 7 areas strong or better
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Doncaster (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Arksey Primary School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 19 May 2026 inspection grades Arksey Primary School on 7 areas: 7 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils achieve very well."
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders and staff have developed a culture in which the importance of attendance is consistently promoted."
Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have designed an ambitious and broad curriculum."
Early years - Strong standard. "Leaders prioritise the early years."
Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders and staff have created a culture where all are included and valued."
Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the school's performance."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school's curriculum for personal, social and health education is well considered and appropriate."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to further refine the highly effective assessment systems that are in place to further build on the positive impact of teaching and learning on pupils' achievement".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Results
In 2024, 83% of Year 6 pupils at Arksey Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 83% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 72% and 74% in Doncaster and 76% and 74% across England.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Arksey Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 13 families put Arksey Primary School as their first choice and 17 named it as one of their preferences, for 13 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Arksey Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Arksey Primary School are Bentley New Village Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 63% reading, 74% maths); Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 65% reading, 70% maths); Bentley High Street Primary School (1 mile, Good, 90% reading, 88% maths); and Kingfisher Primary Academy (1.3 miles, Good, 80% reading, 80% maths).
Bentley New Village Primary SchoolOur Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Primary SchoolBentley High Street Primary SchoolKingfisher Primary Academy
Who goes there
6.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 10 pupils (13.2%) received SEN support and 1 (1.3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Arksey Primary School had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bentley (S Yorks) Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brook Way/Ings Way (near), 90 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Arksey Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 5 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- AchievementStrong standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
- Early yearsStrong standard
- InclusionStrong standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Arksey Primary School
Pupils feel a deep sense of belonging at this extremely welcoming school. They enjoy coming to school, arriving with highly positive attitudes and ready to learn. Pupils know that adults in school will listen to them. They feel that they can talk to staff about anything. This helps pupils to feel safe and supported. The carefully designed curriculum builds pupils' learning and broadens their experience. Pupils, including those with barriers to their learning, benefit from leaders' determination that teaching is of a consistently high quality. Pupils attend regularly and achieve very well. Pupils learn to respect one another, understanding the importance of treating others fairly and demonstrating this in their day-to-day interactions. For example, they support new pupils to settle through their warm and welcoming attitudes. Pupils thrive in a calm, supportive environment where adults respond quickly when help is needed. Clear routines and consistent expectations enable them to behave very well. Pupils play purposefully and collaboratively at playtimes. These social times are well structured and engaging. Pupils are reflective and behave with integrity. Leaders have created a culture in which pupils have the confidence to call out unacceptable behaviour or attitudes. High-quality support for pupils' social and emotional development also supports this. Pupils take responsibility for maintaining a positive culture. They confidently address unkind behaviour themselves and work together to resolve issues. Any issues, such as bullying, are dealt with swiftly. Opportunities such as class jobs, voting systems and shared decision making help pupils feel valued and listened to. As a result, relationships between pupils and staff are positive and respectful. Pupils are proud to be part of the school community. Pupils articulate the roles that they have in school confidently. They are proud of their contributions to school life. For example, pupils take on roles in the 'FUN*Raising' team, which helps to raise money for playground equipment. The 'tech team' helpfully supports with any technology troubleshooting needs.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should continue to further refine the highly effective assessment systems that are in place to further build on the positive impact of teaching and learning on pupils' achievement.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 19 May 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Arksey Primary School excels at teaching reading and phonics with precision, ensuring children develop a genuine love of reading from the earliest years. The school creates an inclusive environment where all pupils, including those with special needs or disadvantages, access the same ambitious curriculum and benefit from highly effective, tailored support. Children develop not just strong academic skills but also become reflective, respectful individuals with excellent behaviour and a strong sense of community responsibility.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve well above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics with excellent progress from starting points
- Strong focus on reading and phonics with expert teaching and a culture where pupils develop a genuine love of reading
- Excellent behaviour and attendance culture built on respectful relationships and clear expectations
- Highly effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs through targeted interventions and adapted provision
- Ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum with focus on vocabulary development and purposeful learning contexts
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are fulfilled, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Educational visits, art, physical education
Arksey Primary School is a high-performing primary school where pupils achieve very well, typically attaining at or above national averages by the end of Year 6. The school has established a strong culture of safeguarding, excellent behaviour, and ambitious curriculum design that supports all learners, including those with additional needs.
At a Glance
18.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2023/24KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2023/24 academic year
Class Sizes
25.7
Avg class size
3
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Arksey Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Arksey Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Arksey Primary School is in Doncaster; for families living there:
Apply to Doncaster for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Doncaster is 10 (the median across 143 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Arksey Primary School
Will you get a place at Arksey Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Arksey Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Arksey Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Arksey Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Doncaster, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Arksey Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Doncaster got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
53%
Available places
74 pupils
140 places
66 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Doncaster
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Doncaster
Across Doncaster council
Places available
4,235
Applications
3,089
Got 1st preference
96.5%
Got preferred school
98.8%
All primary applications across Doncaster council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
10
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
14.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
76
Total Pupils
37
Boys
39
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
15.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,945
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,599
Per pupil
£530k
Total funding
£14k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.1%
Overall absence
1.5%
Persistent absence
65
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Arksey Primary School
Questions parents ask about Arksey Primary School
What are SATs results like at Arksey Primary School?
Of the pupils at Arksey Primary School who took the 2024 Key Stage 2 assessments, 83% reached the expected standard in reading and 83% did so in maths.
What is Arksey Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Arksey Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Arksey Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Arksey Primary School is oversubscribed, Doncaster allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Arksey Primary School?
Arksey Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 53% of its 140 places.
How big are the classes at Arksey Primary School?
Classes at Arksey Primary School average 25.7 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Arksey Primary School?
Arksey Primary School has around 76 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Arksey Primary School?
3.1% of sessions were missed at Arksey Primary School in 2024/25. 1.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Arksey Primary School?
Apply through Doncaster's coordinated admissions process, naming Arksey Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Arksey Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Doncaster is 10 (the median across 143 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Arksey Primary School?
Arksey Primary School is at Ings Way, Arksey, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN5 0TE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)