Watchfield Primary School, Watchfield

Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

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

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Nick Hatcliffe
Pupils:315 / 420 capacity
LA:Oxfordshire
Phone:01793782623
Address:North Street, Watchfield, SN6 8SD
Trust:CAMBRIAN LEARNING TRUST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 November 2013

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 8 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 20 January 2026View full report
URN:140301
UKPRN:10043957
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Witney
Urban/Rural:Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Watchfield Primary excels at supporting children from military families and those new to the area, helping them settle quickly and feel they belong. The school has created a warm, inclusive environment with strong pastoral care through nurture groups and specialist support. Your child will benefit from a rich programme of activities including Arts Week, music, visits and community involvement that builds confidence and resilience.

Key Strengths

  • Strong safeguarding culture with open reporting and pupils feeling safe
  • Effective pastoral support including nurture groups and tailored interventions for vulnerable pupils
  • Well-structured personal development programme with diverse enrichment opportunities like Arts Week
  • Significant improvement in writing attainment and reduction in suspensions
  • Inclusive approach to identifying and supporting pupils new to the country and those with SEND

Areas for Improvement

  • Inconsistent teaching of early reading and mathematics fundamentals across key stages
  • Adaptations and resources for pupils with SEND and those learning English not applied widely enough
  • Early years curriculum lacks consistent routines and sequencing, with underdeveloped outdoor learning
  • Gaps in knowledge for disadvantaged pupils not being systematically addressed
  • Low-level behaviour issues and routines not addressed quickly enough in some instances

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Arts Week, music performance opportunities, visits and visitors, lunchtime nurture groups, clubs and activities (with funding available for disadvantaged pupils)

Watchfield Primary School is a highly mobile community school that has made decisive improvements in leadership and attendance, with particular progress in writing outcomes. However, the school faces challenges in ensuring consistent teaching quality across reading, mathematics, and early years provision.

At a Glance

20.8%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+23ppMaths+5ppWriting+45pp

Reading has improved from 58% to 81%. Maths has improved from 65% to 70%. Writing has improved from 29% to 74%.

Class Sizes

26.6

Avg class size

22.8

Infant (KS1)

28.3

KS2

13

Total classes

1 class with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Squires Road (adj)
103m · 2 min walk
Northford Hill (NE-bound)
298m · 5 min walk
Post Office (o/s)
343m · 6 min walk
Axis Road (opp)
453m · 7 min walk
Knapps Meadow (W-bound)
455m · 7 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

75%

Available places

315 pupils

420 capacity

105 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Watchfield

Low pressure
New homes approved:58
Projected new pupils:15

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Watchfield

Admissions Demand - Oxfordshire

Low demand0.80x oversubscription

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(5)

20 January 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
12 October 2021
20 September 2016

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.

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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

5.53887%

Overall absence

16.32653%

Persistent absence

294

Enrolments

Authorised4.37124%
Unauthorised1.16763%
Persistent (10%+)16.32653%
Severe (50%+)0.68027%

Absence trend

5.17345%
18/19
4.97455%
20/21
7.67259%
21/22
6.92966%
22/23
5.62339%
23/24
5.53887%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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