Finlay Community School, Gloucester
Finlay Community School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Gloucester. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 4th-highest of the 53 schools in Gloucester with published results, and 941st of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Gloucestershire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Finlay Community School in detail
Finlay Community School in its own words
In its own words: "We support our children, parents, staff and the community. It's what is important to us. At Finlay, we intend to teach a curriculum that is engaging, relevant and purposeful to all learners. We ensure that our curriculum meets national expectations in line with knowledge, skills and understanding set out in the National Curriculum."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, gymnastics, karate, choir and cheerleading.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils at Finlay Community School reached the expected standard in reading and 98% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 75% in Gloucestershire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (90% in reading, 93% in maths).
Getting a place at Finlay Community School
For September 2026 entry, 44 families put Finlay Community School as their first choice and 109 named it as one of their preferences, for 48 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Finlay Community School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Finlay Community School are Hatherley Infant School (0.4 miles); Tredworth Infant and Nursery Academy (0.5 miles, Good); Tredworth Junior School (0.6 miles, Good, 53% reading, 60% maths); and Calton Primary School (0.7 miles, 55% reading, 49% maths).
Finlay Community School's 2025 results were higher than all 2 of them.
Hatherley Infant SchoolTredworth Infant and Nursery AcademyTredworth Junior SchoolCalton Primary School
Who goes there
41.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 109 pupils (26.5%) received SEN support and 49 (11.9%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.
Staffing
Finlay Community School had 30 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gloucester Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Finlay Community (outside), 50 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Finlay Community School issued 13 suspensions, 3.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Finlay Community School are Gloucester Academy (0.4 miles), Ribston Hall High School (0.6 miles), Barnwood Park School (1.1 miles) and The Crypt School (1.1 miles).
Gloucester AcademyRibston Hall High SchoolBarnwood Park SchoolThe Crypt School
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 · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
41.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 87% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 93% to 98% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 87% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.4
Avg class size
29.2
Infant (KS1)
29.6
KS2
14
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Finlay Community School
Term dates
Finlay Community School is a foundation school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Gloucestershire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Finlay Community School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Finlay Community School is in Gloucestershire; for families living there:
Apply to Gloucestershire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 41
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 41 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 32 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 3 on a bicycle.
10 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 Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 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 Finlay Community School
Will you get a place at Finlay Community School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Finlay Community School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Finlay Community School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Finlay Community School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Gloucestershire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Finlay Community School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Gloucestershire 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
99%
Near capacity
416 pupils
420 places
4 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Gloucester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Gloucester
Across Gloucestershire council
Places available
7,250
Applications
6,016
Got 1st preference
91.6%
Got preferred school
98.1%
All primary applications across Gloucestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
109
SEN Support
49
EHC Plans
38.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
412
Total Pupils
203
Boys
209
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
30
Teachers
13.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£44,084
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,560
Per pupil
£2700k
Total funding
£261k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.3%
Overall absence
24.2%
Persistent absence
372
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
Questions parents ask about Finlay Community School
What are SATs results like at Finlay Community School?
Of the pupils at Finlay Community School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 87% reached the expected standard in reading and 98% did so in maths.
What is Finlay Community School's Ofsted rating?
Finlay Community School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024.
What is the catchment area for Finlay Community School?
No fixed boundary. When Finlay Community School is oversubscribed, Gloucestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Finlay Community School?
Finlay Community School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Finlay Community School?
Classes at Finlay Community School average 29.4 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 Finlay Community School?
Finlay Community School has around 412 pupils on roll. 41% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Finlay Community School?
7.3% of sessions were missed at Finlay Community School in 2024/25. 24.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Finlay Community School?
Apply through Gloucestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming Finlay Community 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 Finlay Community School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 41 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 32 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 3 on a bicycle. 10 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 Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Finlay Community School?
Finlay Community School is at Finlay Road, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL4 6TR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)