Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School, Cheltenham
Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Cheltenham. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2020. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 40 schools in Cheltenham with published results, and 814th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.2 first-choice applications for every place. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2020)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than 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
Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School in detail
Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "“Learn Well, Live Well, Together” ......... ‘God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them. (Genesis I: 27) ........ The value this term is Friendship Holy Apostles' is a Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School which was provided by Charles Cooke-Higgs in 1873 as part of the Foundation and Endowment of Holy Apostles' Church."
The school runs after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 4 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Gloucestershire
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 93% of Year 6 pupils at Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 93% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 75% in Gloucestershire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 90% in reading and 87% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 37 families put Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 138 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 10 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School are St John's Church of England Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 66% reading, 76% maths); Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School (0.7 miles, Requires improvement, 90% reading, 76% maths); Glenfall Community Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 84% reading, 87% maths); and Oakwood Primary School (0.9 miles, Requires improvement, 34% reading, 21% maths).
Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
St John's Church of England Primary SchoolHoly Trinity Church of England Primary SchoolGlenfall Community Primary SchoolOakwood Primary School
What parents say
64 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School (as of September 2025): 98% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 89% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (98%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (88%).
Who goes there
2.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 7.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (80%), Asian (5%) and Mixed (5%).
In 2026, 11 pupils (5.3%) received SEN support and 2 (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 a moderate learning difficulty.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Cheltenham Spa Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is King's Road (opposite), 260 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School are Pittville School (1.1 miles) and Balcarras School (1.2 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2020, 6 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school creates a warm, respectful environment where pupils are proud to learn and feel safe. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and the school has particularly strong reading and vocabulary programmes. Pupils develop into responsible, active citizens through leadership roles and community projects like working with councillors on local issues.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with excellent phonics outcomes and well-trained staff delivering the curriculum effectively
- Well-sequenced curriculum across all subjects with clear essential knowledge and strong teacher subject knowledge
- Emphasis on building pupils' vocabulary across all year groups and subjects
- Inclusive culture with appropriate support for pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum
- Wide range of activities supporting broader development including leadership roles and community engagement
Areas for Improvement
- Writing standards not as securely embedded as other core subjects - some younger pupils do not master fundamentals like sentence structure and letter formation
- Handwriting approach not yet consistently implemented across the school
- Some pupils' misconceptions are not identified and addressed, causing gaps in understanding to continue
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with pupils knowing there are trusted adults to talk to and a strong sense of community helping everyone feel valued and safe.
Extracurricular Activities
House captains, eco-councillors, sports leaders, debates, physical and mental health activities, community engagement projects
Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School is a warm and welcoming primary school with a positive ethos where pupils thoroughly enjoy learning and behave well. The school has maintained good standards since its last inspection in February 2020, with high expectations for all pupils to achieve well.
At a Glance
2.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
64 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 93% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 87% to 93% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 86% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.6
Avg class size
29.0
Infant (KS1)
30.0
KS2
7
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 Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School.
- OSCA ST JOHNS940m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School is a voluntary aided 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 Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Holy Apostles' Church of England 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
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
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 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 Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Holy Apostles' Church of England 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 Holy Apostles' Church of England 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
99%
Near capacity
207 pupils
210 places
3 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(6)
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
11
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
6.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
207
Total Pupils
105
Boys
102
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
17.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,435
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,032
Per pupil
£1120k
Total funding
£14k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.8%
Overall absence
3.9%
Persistent absence
179
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
Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School
Questions parents ask about Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 93% reached the expected standard in reading and 93% did so in maths.
What is Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2020, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Holy Apostles' Church of England 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 Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School?
Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School average 29.6 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 Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School?
Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School has around 207 pupils on roll. 3% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School?
3.8% of sessions were missed at Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 3.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Gloucestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming Holy Apostles' Church of England 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.
Does Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School: OSCA ST JOHNS (940m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 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 Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School?
Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School is at Battledown Approach, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 6QZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)