Dauntsey Academy Primary School

A small primary in West Lavington with deep local roots and a clear emphasis on character as well as learning. The school’s language is consistent, empathy, care, motivation and engagement sit at the centre of its ethos, and that shows up in practical ways, from leadership roles like School Council and Eco Warriors to an active approach to outdoor learning.

Academically, the most recent published Key Stage 2 outcomes show a mixed picture. In the 2025 dataset, 50% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, and the school’s scaled scores were 106 for reading, 103 for maths, and 104 for grammar, punctuation and spelling. Reading remained the strongest individual subject, with 80% meeting the expected standard and 40% reaching the higher standard.

Day-to-day practicalities are a strength for working families. Breakfast Club runs from 7:30am and After School Club runs until 5:45pm on most weekdays, with published session pricing and a clear cap on breakfast places.

The school’s stated culture is explicit rather than implied. It describes a focus on empathy, care, motivation and engagement, alongside celebrating individuality and developing the whole child across social, moral, spiritual and cultural learning. That matters for parents because it signals that behaviour, relationships, and confidence are treated as core work, not as an add-on.

Leadership continuity is another defining feature. The current headteacher is Mrs Philippa Winbolt. She is listed as headteacher on the school’s own staff page and on the government’s official records.

If you want an evidence-based indicator of how that culture lands, the May 2025 inspection report describes pupils taking on responsibilities such as prefect and school councillor roles, becoming buddies for younger pupils, and even caring for the school’s goats. It also references community-facing activities like hosting a grandparents tea, which is a helpful proxy for how confident pupils are in wider-school social settings.

This is a primary school, so the most relevant outcome data is Key Stage 2.

Key Stage 2 headline (2025 dataset)

• Expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined: 50%.

• Higher standard (greater depth) in reading, writing and maths combined: 0%.

Scaled scores (2025 dataset)

• Reading: 104

• Maths: 103

• Grammar, punctuation and spelling: 103

Rankings context (FindMySchool)

Ranked 11,080th out of 14,978 schools in England and 9th in the Devizes local area for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data).

In plain English, that England ranking places the school below the England average overall, even though several individual measures, including the combined expected standard and the higher standard figure, sit above the England benchmarks. The most sensible interpretation for parents is that cohort effects likely matter here, and that looking at multiple years (when available) is particularly important for a school of this size.

The curriculum is framed around leaving pupils “secondary ready” and explicitly links academic aims to kindness, valuing diversity, and appreciation of the natural world.

The May 2025 inspection evidence gives useful detail on how learning is expected to work in classrooms. It describes a curriculum sequenced in a logical order, with pupils learning ambitious subject-specific vocabulary and being helped to make links across subjects, for example using scientific knowledge to support reading comprehension. It also highlights clear instruction and probing questioning as the norm, while noting that matching work to pupils’ starting points is an area still being refined in some subjects.

Reading is a particular focus in the inspection narrative. It describes pupils enjoying reading, regularly refreshed books in book corners and the library, and phonics taught well with close checks. The main improvement point raised is ensuring that a small number of pupils who are behind get enough structured practice to build fluency.

For many families, the practical question is which secondary schools most pupils typically move on to.

The school sits within the local mid-Wiltshire system and is part of EQUA Multi Academy Trust, which also includes Lavington School. The governing information notes that Lavington School is a common next step for many pupils.

Transition fit will depend on your child. A setting with structured expectations around reading, vocabulary and responsibility tends to support pupils who benefit from routine and clear roles, but families should still ask about Year 6 transition work, pupil leadership opportunities, and how the school supports any gaps in reading fluency ahead of Year 7.

Entry is handled through Wiltshire Council rather than directly by the school, and the school website signposts families to apply through the local authority.

Demand indicators suggest competition for places. In the most recent published Reception route data, there were 36 applications for 22 offers, which is 1.64 applications per place, and the entry route is recorded as oversubscribed.

For 2027 entry, Wiltshire’s published timetable sets 15 January 2027 as the deadline for on-time Reception applications, with offers released on 16 April 2027.

The school’s published staffing roles point to a layered approach to support, rather than relying solely on class-level pastoral care. The staff list includes a Parent Support Advisor, an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA), and a THRIVE approach counsellor.

The May 2025 inspection report adds confidence on the basics. It describes pupils conducting themselves well around the site and being attentive in lessons, with effective support for pupils who struggle with behaviour. It also points to strong work around relationships, healthy living, and preparation for life in modern Britain, which is often where schools show whether their values are operational or purely aspirational.

The report also states that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Outdoor learning is not positioned as an occasional enrichment, it is described as threaded through curriculum areas to deepen understanding and create real-life experiences, including “risky play” framed around decision-making and leadership. For pupils who learn best through doing, that approach can be a genuine differentiator, particularly in a rural setting where seasons and the natural environment can be used as living curriculum material.

Pupil leadership and responsibility are visible through named structures. Each class nominates two Eco Warriors who take responsibility for recycling and reducing wastage, and the school runs School Council as part of its School Life offer.

Sport is unusually well-connected for a village primary. The school describes strong links with both Dauntsey’s School and Lavington School, including weekly Year 6 coaching, swimming lessons hosted at Dauntsey’s, and an annual Swimming Gala. It also references PH Sports coaching on Fridays and participation in festivals hosted by Lavington and other local schools and clubs.

The PTA, known as POD, gives another clue about enrichment priorities. It explicitly lists funding for in-class IT equipment and iPads, an animal enclosure for the school’s pets, classroom supplies, and leavers’ hoodies for every child.

The published school day is clearly structured: classes open at 8:40am, registration at 8:45am, and the school day ends at 3:15pm. Breakfast Club runs 7:30am to 8:45am. After School Club runs 3:15pm to 5:45pm Monday to Thursday, and until 4:15pm on Fridays.

Wraparound provision is on-site and run under the school’s registration. The school publishes capacity information for breakfast sessions and sets out booking expectations.

For travel, this is a West Lavington setting, so most families will be thinking for local village routes and short drives into Devizes. If you are comparing more than one option in the area, keep journey-time variability in mind, traffic patterns and parking pressure at drop-off can matter as much as distance in miles.

• Academic profile can look uneven year to year. With smaller cohorts, headline outcomes can swing, so it is worth asking how the school monitors consistency across subjects and year groups, especially around reading fluency.

• Admission is competitive even without distance data. The published data shows oversubscription and more applications than offers, but there is no “last offered distance” to anchor expectations.

• Outdoor learning and responsibility are central. Forest School style learning, Eco Warriors, and pupil roles suit many children, but some pupils prefer more classroom-based structure and may need time to settle into learning that sometimes happens outside.

Dauntsey Academy Primary School is best understood as a close-knit, village-rooted primary with a strong emphasis on responsibility, outdoor learning, and practical support for families through wraparound care. Academic outcomes are not in the top tier nationally, but the most recent published results include above-England benchmarks on key measures, and the inspection narrative points to an ambitious curriculum and calm conduct.

Who it suits: families in and around West Lavington who want a grounded primary experience with real leadership opportunities, regular outdoor learning, and reliable wraparound provision. The main constraint is securing a place in an oversubscribed entry route.