Paternoster School, Cirencester
Paternoster School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 17 in Cirencester, part of Sand Academies Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Paternoster School in detail
The trust
Paternoster School is one of 8 schools run by Sand Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
37.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 9.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Paternoster School has an education, health and care plan (66 of 66 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Paternoster School has a resourced provision (60 places, 60 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (60 places, 64 pupils on roll) for visual impairment, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Kemble Rail Station, about 3.5 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Michael's Road (after), 130 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Paternoster School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
37.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision and SEN unit: Vision, Autism, SEMH +3
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2024/25 academic year
Keep up with Paternoster School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Paternoster School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Paternoster 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
- 19
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 13 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
4 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
110%
Over capacity
66 pupils
60 places
6 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Cirencester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Cirencester
Across Gloucestershire council
Places available
7,977
Applications
6,517
Got 1st preference
86.8%
Got preferred school
97.0%
All secondary applications across Gloucestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
66
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Paternoster School has a resourced provision (60 places, 60 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (60 places, 64 pupils on roll) for visual impairment, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
66
Total Pupils
37
Boys
29
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
5.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,646
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.5%
Overall absence
16.7%
Persistent absence
66
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Paternoster School
What are SATs results like at Paternoster School?
Of the pupils at Paternoster School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Paternoster School's Ofsted rating?
Paternoster School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2018 it was rated Inadequate.
What is the catchment area for Paternoster School?
No fixed boundary. When Paternoster School is oversubscribed, Gloucestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Paternoster School?
Paternoster School has around 66 pupils on roll. 38% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Paternoster School have specialist SEN provision?
Paternoster School has a resourced provision (60 places, 60 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (60 places, 64 pupils on roll) for visual impairment, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Paternoster School?
9.5% of sessions were missed at Paternoster School in 2024/25. 16.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Paternoster School?
Apply through Gloucestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming Paternoster School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Paternoster School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 13 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 4 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 Paternoster School?
Paternoster School is at Watermoor Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1JR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)