New Close Primary School, Warminster

Ofsted's report card from its 7 July 2026 inspection grades New Close Primary School on 7 areas: 1 strong standard and 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Strong standard. "A culture of high expectations for all pupils has been created at New Close."

Achievement - Expected standard. "At the end of Year 6, pupils are typically well prepared for the next stage of their education."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and who are disadvantaged, attend well."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have carefully designed an ambitious curriculum that builds pupils' knowledge over time, taking account of pupils' gaps if their previous education took place elsewhere."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders' ambitious vision for children to make a positive start to their educational journey is supported by a well-sequenced curriculum in early years."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have pupils' interests at the heart of every decision they make."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have developed a comprehensive programme to promote pupils' personal development, taking into account the school's context."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teaching is more precisely matched to pupils' starting points so that new knowledge is secured quickly, enabling pupils to develop a greater depth of knowledge across the curriculum"; "Leaders should ensure that staff's interactions with children in the early years more consistently help them to develop their communication and language skills so that they are better prepared for their next steps in education"; "The work of leaders at all levels needs to be developed further to accelerate improvements across the school".

In its own words: "We provide a warm, caring and safe environment, where all children and staff are equally valued and happy and where all children are taught to be the very best they can be."

The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.

In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils at New Close Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 79% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 73% in Wiltshire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 67% in reading and 67% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 18 families put New Close Primary School as their first choice and 37 named it as one of their preferences, for 19 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to New Close Primary School are The Avenue Primary School and Children's Centre (0.3 miles, Good, 63% reading, 66% maths); St John's CofE School (0.3 miles, Good, 82% reading, 64% maths); The Minster CofE Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 90% reading, 90% maths); and Sambourne Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 77% reading, 73% maths).

New Close Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

New Close Primary School is one of 21 schools run by Acorn Education Trust, an academy trust.

23 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about New Close Primary School (as of September 2026): 91% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (83%).

In 2026, 43 pupils (25%) received SEN support and 13 (7.6%) 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.

New Close Primary School had 10 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Warminster Rail Station, about 400 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lyons Seafoods (sw-bound), 80 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood New Close Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 89 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Wiltshire (34), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, New Close Primary School issued 15 suspensions, 9.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.