Old Sarum Primary School, Salisbury

Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~1.5km)Possible (~2.1km)Unlikely (~2.8km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Sarah Barwell
Pupils:242 / 420 capacity
LA:Wiltshire
Phone:01722410677
Address:Pheasant Drive, Old Sarum, Salisbury, SP4 6GH
Trust:MAGNA LEARNING PARTNERSHIP
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2022

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Requires Improvement

Quality of Education

Requires Improvement

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Requires Improvement

Leadership & Management

Requires Improvement

Early Years

Inspected 3 June 2025View full report
URN:149207
UKPRN:10090701
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Salisbury
Urban/Rural:Larger rural: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The school is successfully promoting a love of reading with an impressive new library space, and pupils take pride in their reading experiences. Through the innovative 'Project 50+' initiative, children enjoy a rich range of experiences including learning about democracy, community service, and exploring different cultures. The school prioritises mental health well and helps pupils develop strong values around safety, respect and understanding difference.

Key Strengths

  • Strong promotion of reading with pupils enjoying the new library space and reading with teachers
  • 'Project 50+' initiative providing rich experiences that help pupils develop talents, interests and understanding of the wider world
  • Effective prioritisation of mental health and strong pupil understanding of safety, healthy living, and respect for difference
  • Successful work to improve attendance and reduce suspensions through building strong relationships with families
  • Ambitious curriculum in most areas with identified key knowledge for pupils to learn

Areas for Improvement

  • Inconsistent implementation of the curriculum with teachers not systematically checking pupils' understanding, resulting in variable achievement
  • Too many pupils not reading with age-appropriate fluency and comprehension by the end of Year 6
  • Older pupils have gaps in writing knowledge and struggle to write accurately and at length due to insufficient focus in early years and Key Stage 1
  • Behaviour policy not applied consistently, with some pupils continuing to disrupt learning
  • Early years curriculum lacks strategic oversight and purposeful planning matched to children's individual needs

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective and the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Project 50+ initiative including voting for head students, 'making a difference' weeks, community citizenship activities

Old Sarum Primary School is now more stable following a period of turbulence and has increasingly high expectations of pupils' behaviour and achievements. However, the school requires improvement in the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and early years provision.

At a Glance

22.7%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

70 responses
Would recommend66%
Child is happy81%
Well taught77%
Good progress66%
Feels safe77%
Well behaved64%
Bullying dealt with17%
Kept informed74%
Handles concerns44%
Wider development71%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-5ppMaths-7ppWriting+9pp

Reading has declined from 59% to 54%. Maths has declined from 53% to 46%. Writing has improved from 47% to 56%.

Class Sizes

21.8

Avg class size

20.8

Infant (KS1)

22.4

KS2

13

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Old Sarum Primary School (S-bound)
112m · 2 min walk
Partridge Way (NE-bound)
143m · 2 min walk
Dinnis Way (S-bound)
178m · 3 min walk
Salisbury FC (NW-bound)
258m · 4 min walk
Portway (NE-bound)
263m · 4 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

58%

Available places

242 pupils

420 capacity

178 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Salisbury

Low pressure
New homes approved:2,408
Projected new pupils:602

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Salisbury

Admissions Demand - Wiltshire

Low demand0.70x oversubscription

Places available

6,311

Applications

4,449

Got 1st preference

95.2%

Got preferred school

99.0%

Primary admissions across Wiltshire (2025/26)

Inspection History

3 June 2025
Quality of EducationRequires Improvement
Behaviour & AttitudesRequires Improvement
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementRequires Improvement
Early YearsRequires Improvement

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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.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.29361%

Overall absence

16.35688%

Persistent absence

269

Enrolments

Authorised4.14291%
Unauthorised1.15069%
Persistent (10%+)16.35688%
Severe (50%+)2.23048%

Absence trend

8.04934%
22/23
6.12436%
23/24
5.29361%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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