John Blandy Primary School, Abingdon
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 9 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
John Blandy Primary School is a welcoming place where children feel safe, supported and eager to learn. Staff are described by pupils as kind and always ready to help, creating a calm environment where behaviour is excellent and attendance is well above average. The school delivers a broad curriculum with particularly strong teaching in phonics and maths, plus excellent early years provision that gives children a great start.
Key Strengths
- Strong attendance rates consistently above national average with effective monitoring and support for families
- Safe and calm school environment with consistent behaviour management and pupils who are courteous and respectful
- Well-designed, broad curriculum with effective teaching of phonics and mathematics
- Excellent early years provision with strong focus on communication, language, and phonics
- Inclusive approach with early identification of special educational needs and effective targeted support
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent quality and accuracy of pupils' handwriting across subjects - new approach is beginning to have impact but not yet fully embedded
- Teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding or correct mistakes quickly enough, leading to some pupils repeating errors and having gaps in learning
- Systems to monitor the impact of support on vulnerable groups of pupils (beyond SEND and pupil premium) are being strengthened
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed.
Extracurricular Activities
School council, librarians, assembly monitors, eco-team, play leaders, design and technology, science, community art projects, local music festivals, weekly assemblies with singing, carol performances, trips and visits
John Blandy Primary School is a welcoming and inclusive primary school where pupils feel safe, behave well, and achieve in line with national averages. The school has a calm environment, strong attendance, and effective leadership with clear priorities for improvement.
At a Glance
14.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 70% to 81%. Maths has improved from 63% to 77%. Writing has declined from 74% to 68%.
Class Sizes
25.6
Avg class size
24.2
Infant (KS1)
26.8
KS2
11
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
94%
Near capacity
296 pupils
315 capacity
19 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Abingdon
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Abingdon
Admissions Demand - Oxfordshire
Places available
8,555
Applications
6,831
Got 1st preference
94.0%
Got preferred school
99.1%
Primary admissions across Oxfordshire (2025/26)
Inspection History(4)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.42164%
Overall absence
6.27451%
Persistent absence
255
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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