Gardners Lane Primary School, Cheltenham
Gardners Lane Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Cheltenham, part of Child and Family Learning Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 35th-highest of the 40 schools in Cheltenham with published results, and 12,330th of 14,452 across England. It was 65% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- 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
Gardners Lane Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 62% of Year 6 pupils at Gardners Lane Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 64% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 75% in Gloucestershire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 70% in reading and 47% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Gardners Lane Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 31 families put Gardners Lane Primary School as their first choice and 52 named it as one of their preferences, for 32 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Gardners Lane Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Gardners Lane Primary School are Gloucester Road Primary School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 55% reading, 45% maths); The Catholic School of Saint Gregory the Great (0.6 miles, 82% reading, 85% maths); Christ Church CofE Primary School (0.7 miles, Outstanding, 81% reading, 84% maths); and Dunalley Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 83% reading, 87% maths).
Gardners Lane Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Gloucester Road Primary SchoolThe Catholic School of Saint Gregory the GreatChrist Church CofE Primary SchoolDunalley Primary School
The trust
Gardners Lane Primary School is one of 2 schools run by Child and Family Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
39.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 35.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (47%), Asian (22%) and Black (11%).
In 2026, 51 pupils (19.5%) received SEN support and 16 (6.1%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Cheltenham Spa Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Elmfield Road (before), 80 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Gardners Lane Primary School issued 34 suspensions, 12.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Gardners Lane Primary School are All Saints' Academy, Cheltenham (1 mile); Pittville School (1 mile); and Pate's Grammar School (1.3 miles).
All Saints' Academy, CheltenhamPittville SchoolPate's Grammar 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; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from July 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils are happy and feel safe at Gardners Lane Primary School. Most pupils behave well and show positive attitudes towards their learning. Where some pupils struggle to manage their own behaviour, adults act swiftly. This enables pupils to learn without disruption. Pupils appreciate the actions adults take to help them resolve problems. The school is aware of the need to improve school attendance and is working with families to reduce levels of absence. Pupils new to the school quickly feel part of the school community.
The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve well. Leaders have recently reviewed the curriculum and set out exactly what pupils should know and be able to do. However, in many subjects, this new curriculum is not currently being implemented. Consequently, pupils are not learning as well as they might.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
There have recently been significant changes in leadership. New leaders have quickly established an accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses in the school. Leaders and those responsible for governance now have a clear, shared vision. They are engaging with external advisors and the local authority to take rapid action. They have begun to make significant improvements to curriculum design. However, much of this work is at an early stage and the impact is yet to be seen.
Reading is an important part of school life. Pupils regularly enjoy sharing stories, songs and rhymes. The school has a clear approach to teaching phonics. However, in some cases, the teaching does not follow the chosen programme closely enough. This makes it difficult for staff to know when pupils have not grasped a sound. In addition, the support for the weakest readers is not always timely and sufficiently targeted on pupils' phonics gaps. This means that these pupils do not catch up quickly enough. This is a clear priority area for leaders who have begun to access support to enhance their phonics programme.
From Ofsted's July 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its July 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
39.3%
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 declined from 70% to 62% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 47% to 64% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 66% to 57% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.2
Avg class size
27.5
Infant (KS1)
25.3
KS2
10
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Gardners Lane Primary School
Term dates
Gardners Lane Primary 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 Gardners Lane Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Gardners Lane Primary 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
- 28
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 28 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 26 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
7 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 Gardners Lane Primary School
Will you get a place at Gardners Lane Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Gardners Lane Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Gardners Lane Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Gardners Lane Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Gloucestershire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Gardners Lane Primary 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
65%
Available places
274 pupils
420 places
146 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Cheltenham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Cheltenham
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
51
SEN Support
16
EHC Plans
25.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
262
Total Pupils
140
Boys
122
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
17.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,671
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,014
Per pupil
£1918k
Total funding
£147k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.8%
Overall absence
25.1%
Persistent absence
267
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
Gardners Lane Primary School
Questions parents ask about Gardners Lane Primary School
What are SATs results like at Gardners Lane Primary School?
Of the pupils at Gardners Lane Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 62% reached the expected standard in reading and 64% did so in maths.
What is Gardners Lane Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Gardners Lane Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Gardners Lane Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Gardners Lane Primary 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 Gardners Lane Primary School?
Gardners Lane Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 65% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Gardners Lane Primary School?
Classes at Gardners Lane Primary School average 26.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Gardners Lane Primary School?
Gardners Lane Primary School has around 262 pupils on roll. 39% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Gardners Lane Primary School?
7.8% of sessions were missed at Gardners Lane Primary School in 2024/25. 25.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Gardners Lane Primary School?
Apply through Gloucestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming Gardners Lane 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 Gardners Lane Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 28 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 26 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 7 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 Gardners Lane Primary School?
Gardners Lane Primary School is at Gardners Lane, Swindon Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL51 9JW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)