St Barnabas Church of England School, Market Lavington Review 2026

This is a small, village-rooted primary where results are a defining feature rather than a footnote. In the latest published Key Stage 2 outcomes, 90.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, well above the England average of 62%. On FindMySchool’s proprietary primary rankings (built from official data), it ranks 569th in England and 1st locally in the Devizes area, which puts it comfortably within the top 10% of schools in England.

The school runs from age 2 to 11, with nursery as a genuine feeder rather than an add-on. Families also tend to value the practicalities, breakfast club starts early, after-school provision runs until early evening, and the school day is clearly structured.

There is a “small school” feel here, in the best sense of the phrase. With a published capacity of 140, routines and relationships matter, and children are more visible than they can be in larger settings. That shows up in the school’s emphasis on belonging and leadership roles for pupils, including house responsibilities and ambassador-style opportunities.

Faith is not hidden in the small print. The Church of England character is built into day-to-day life, with collective worship and a wider set of Christian values woven through assemblies and the personal development programme. Importantly for many families, the language the school uses about values is practical, aspiration, belonging, and love, rather than performative branding.

The school also sits within a wider structure. It is part of Equa Mead Learning Trust, which gives it access to shared expertise and cross-school collaboration while keeping local identity front and centre.

The outcomes data is unusually strong for a school of this size.

• Expected standard (reading, writing, mathematics combined): 90.67%

• England average (expected standard): 62%

• Higher standard (greater depth across reading, writing and mathematics): 38%

• England average (higher standard): 8%

Those figures point to two things. First, the floor is high, most pupils leave Year 6 with secure core skills. Second, a large minority are working at greater depth, which suggests the school is not simply focused on getting pupils over the line.

On FindMySchool’s proprietary primary ranking (based on official data), the school ranks 569th in England and 1st in the Devizes local area. That places it well above England average overall (top 10%).

Scaled scores reinforce the picture: reading 108, maths 109, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 112, indicating consistently strong core attainment at the end of Key Stage 2.

For parents comparing options locally, the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool are useful for viewing these outcomes alongside nearby primaries, especially when cohort sizes are small and single-year swings can look dramatic.

The strongest indicator of teaching quality is not a slogan, it is the coherence between what the school says it is trying to do and what the outcomes show. A high expected-standard figure can come from tight exam preparation alone, but the combination of strong core results plus a high greater-depth proportion suggests pupils are being stretched as well as secured.

Two specific threads stand out.

Mathematics as a “practice plus thinking” subject

The most recent inspection evidence available (from the previous school URN) described a shift towards regular consolidation of maths skills and problem-solving, with a continuing focus on pushing more pupils into greater depth. In practical terms, this typically means more deliberate checking for misconceptions, more reasoning, and tasks that do not cap learning once pupils have “got it”.

Early years and Key Stage 1 continuity

Nursery provision is integrated into the wider school, and the school explicitly frames transition into Reception as a continuity project, not a reset. Continuous provision and play-based learning are positioned as part of how children build independence and confidence, rather than as a soft option.

As a village primary, the main “next step” question is usually the local secondary route and how well pupils are prepared for it.

Most families in Market Lavington look towards The Lavington School for Year 7, and the primary indicates it works with local secondary partners to extend opportunities, particularly in sport.

A practical advantage of a small Key Stage 2 setting is that transition planning can be detailed and personal. For children who need extra support with confidence, organisation, or learning needs, the school’s emphasis on early intervention and close knowledge of families is a meaningful asset, because secondary transition is often where gaps show up.

Reception entry is coordinated through Wiltshire Council rather than handled solely by the school. The school publishes a planned admission number (PAN) of 15 for each year group. For children starting in September 2026, the application deadline is midnight on 15 January 2026.

Demand is a real factor. The latest available admissions dataset shows 17 applications for 8 offers, which is 2.13 applications per offer, and the school is marked as oversubscribed. In plain terms, it can be competitive even though this is not a “big town” intake.

A useful detail for parents weighing deferral is that the school states Reception-age children are offered full-time places, but families can request part-time attendance or delayed entry within the academic year, subject to discussion with the school.

Nursery admissions are handled directly via the school, and visits are encouraged throughout the year (rather than being limited to a single open day window).

Parents who are unsure how their address and preferences play out should use a map-based shortlist tool (such as FindMySchoolMap Search) early, then confirm the detail through Wiltshire’s coordinated admissions guidance.

Small primaries can claim strong relationships; the more meaningful question is what the school does with that closeness.

One clear theme in the available inspection evidence is that wellbeing and additional support are treated as central rather than optional, including timely intervention when pupils need help to catch up, and a culture where pupils feel known and valued.

Safeguarding practice is framed as whole-staff work, with clear roles and reporting routes. The latest Ofsted letter available states that safeguarding was effective at the time of inspection.

For families, the practical implication is that if your child benefits from predictability, clear expectations, and adults who follow up promptly, this is likely to feel reassuring.

Extracurricular life here is not just “clubs after school”, it is a mix of sport, outdoor learning, music, and leadership.

Forest School as a regular experience

Outdoor learning is presented as a structured programme, with pupils taking on cross-curricular challenges such as shelter building and supervised fire-making skills as part of learning to collaborate and solve problems. The point is not the novelty, it is confidence, teamwork, and applied learning in a different setting.

Music with genuine reach

The school states that every child in Years 3 to 6 learns a musical instrument, and the choir performs beyond the school, including at the Devizes Eisteddfod and at the OVO in London. For a small primary, that is a meaningful statement about opportunity and ambition in the arts.

Clubs with specific examples

The published clubs list (for 2025 to 2026 Term 1) includes a Hockey Club delivered by PH Sports, a Coding Club, and a Tennis Club. These kinds of options tend to suit children who like variety and benefit from a mix of physical and technical activities.

Pupil leadership and belonging

The house system uses four houses (red, yellow, green, blue), and leadership roles include House Captains alongside a wider set of ambassador-style roles referenced in the personal development programme.

The school day runs 8:40am to 3:15pm.

Wraparound care is a strength for working families. Breakfast club runs from 7:45am and is priced at £3 per session. After-school club offers three session lengths: £5 (to 4:15pm), £8 (to 5:15pm), and £11 (to 5:45pm).

Lunches are cooked on site, and the school publishes a cost of £2.65 per day for a school meal.

Location-wise, the school serves Market Lavington and the surrounding area south of Devizes.

• Inspection evidence is dated. The most recent published Ofsted report content available is from October 2018, confirmed as a short inspection letter. A lot can change in a school over that timescale, so visits and current leadership conversations matter more than usual.

• Competition for places can be real. Even with a small PAN, demand can outstrip supply, and the latest admissions dataset shows the school is oversubscribed. If this is your first choice, it is sensible to plan a second realistic option.

• Faith is part of daily life. Collective worship and explicit Christian values are integral. Families who prefer a fully secular framework may find this a poor fit.

• Small cohorts cut both ways. Some children thrive with the visibility and close support. Others prefer the social range and anonymity of a larger setting, especially in upper Key Stage 2.

St Barnabas is a high-performing, small Church of England primary with a clear emphasis on belonging, strong routines, and an unusually strong outcomes profile for its size. Nursery integration, Forest School, and structured wraparound care make it practical as well as principled.

It suits families who want a values-led village school with ambitious academic expectations and reliable childcare wrap, and who are comfortable with faith being part of the school’s day-to-day identity. The main constraint is likely to be admission, not quality.