Didcot Primary Academy Review 2026: Oversubscribed Great Western Park primary with strong KS2 outcomes

A newer school serving the Great Western Park community, Didcot Primary Academy has built a clear identity quickly, high expectations, structured routines, and an emphasis on pupils being kind and aiming high. The academy opened in 2016 and sits in a modern, purpose-built building designed for growing year groups and nursery provision.

This is a popular choice, and competition for places is real. For Reception entry, 235 applications competed for 60 offers in the latest admissions snapshot, which is nearly four applications for every place. For families who secure a place, the offer is a longer-than-average school day, a strong academic baseline, and a culture that treats pupil leadership and enrichment as part of the week rather than an add-on.

The tone is purposeful and upbeat, with a strong thread of “we can do hard things” running through school life. Leadership has been stable since opening, with Mrs Alison Ashcroft described as the founding principal and executive principal. That matters in a fast-growing community school, because consistency helps the routines, behaviour expectations, and curriculum settle as cohorts move through.

Pupils are given plenty of responsibility, from everyday classroom roles through to elected leadership groups. The school explicitly frames these opportunities as a way of building responsibility and helping pupils understand democratic participation, rather than as badges for a small group of confident children. That approach often correlates with calm corridors and a sense that pupils know what “good” looks like.

The most recent inspection evidence supports this picture. Pupils are described as happy, safe, and ready to learn, with positive attitudes and high ambition treated as the norm.

Nursery is part of the fabric of the school rather than a bolt-on. The Acorn Class is described as carefully planned play with abundant exploration opportunities in both the classroom and outdoor space, which sets the tone for an early years experience that takes learning seriously without over-formalising it.

The headline performance data is strong for a state primary.

FindMySchool ranking context

Ranked 2,295th in England and 2nd in Didcot for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places the school comfortably within the top 25% of primaries in England.

Key Stage 2 outcomes (most recent dataset year)

In 2024, 86% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 27.7% achieved greater depth across reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%.

The scaled scores reinforce the same story. Reading averaged 108 and mathematics 107, with grammar, punctuation and spelling at 108, which typically indicates cohorts mastering core content securely rather than scraping the threshold. Science is also a clear strength, with 92% meeting the expected standard compared with an England average of 82%.

For parents comparing options locally, it is worth using the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tools to view nearby primaries side-by-side, as small differences in cohort size and context can make year-to-year figures swing, even in consistently strong schools.

A longer school day is used as a deliberate curriculum lever. The academy states that the timetable runs slightly longer than many primaries so pupils can access music, drama, arts, and the wider curriculum without trimming the core.

There is also evidence of internal curriculum leadership being treated seriously. The school’s leadership team description highlights a bespoke English scheme designed and led in-house, with an explicit focus on strengthening writing outcomes over time.

Reading is positioned as a school-wide priority. The latest inspection report describes targeted support for pupils who find reading harder, alongside a wider reading culture that builds vocabulary and enjoyment, which is usually the combination that turns early decoding into real comprehension in Key Stage 2.

Outdoor learning is structured rather than occasional. Each term a different year group has dedicated sessions, with examples including building bug hotels, creating natural water filters, and pond dipping. For many pupils, this kind of curriculum design is not just “nice to have”, it helps translate science and geography vocabulary into something concrete, and it can be a strong route in for pupils who learn best through doing.

As a primary, the main transition is into Year 7. Oxfordshire admissions for secondary are coordinated through the local authority, and families typically look across Didcot and the surrounding area depending on sibling links, travel time, and the specific admissions rules of each secondary school.

What matters most here is readiness rather than a single destination list. With strong core outcomes and a culture of leadership and responsibility, pupils tend to be well prepared for the step up in independence. If you are considering this school partly for the pathway beyond Year 6, it is sensible to review the local secondary options early and map travel times in school-run hours, as commuting patterns in Didcot can be very different at 8:00am compared with mid-morning.

Two entry points matter most, nursery and Reception, and they run on different routes.

Nursery (Acorn Class)

The academy runs its own nursery admissions and offers morning or afternoon places aligned to funded early years entitlements. Children can join the term after they turn three, subject to space, with three intakes across the year, September, January, and April. Sessions are set as 8:45am to 11:45am or 12:30pm to 3:30pm.

Important practical note for families: a nursery place does not guarantee a Reception place.

Reception

Reception applications are coordinated by Oxfordshire County Council. The school has 60 Reception places each year across two classes of 30, which is the legal infant class size maximum.

Catchment and oversubscription

The school states there is no set catchment area. After looked-after children and children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, priority typically moves through staff criteria, siblings, and then distance.

Key dates for September 2026 entry (Oxfordshire)

Applications open 04 November 2025; the deadline is 15 January 2026; national offer day is 16 April 2026.

The school also highlights that tours are usually released from September, with group sizes capped (for example, groups of up to 14 for tours).

Given the oversubscription level in the available admissions snapshot, families should treat timing as non-negotiable and use tools like FindMySchool Map Search to understand how distance criteria can play out when a school allocates places by proximity.

Pastoral systems are visible and staffed. The school lists a family support worker and a behaviour support learning mentor, which is a practical sign that pastoral care is not left solely to classroom teachers. Safeguarding leadership is also clearly identified within the senior team, which helps parents know who holds responsibility for keeping systems tight.

The inspection report describes pupils feeling safe, treating one another well, and knowing who to speak to if they have a worry. That combination, clear routines plus trusted adults plus explicit “speak up” culture, is often what reduces low-level anxieties that can otherwise show up as reluctance to attend.

There is also a practical wellbeing thread in the school’s day structure. A slightly longer day can reduce the pressure of rushing through the wider curriculum, which in turn makes classrooms calmer during afternoons that are often hardest for primary-aged pupils.

Music is one of the most clearly signposted enrichment areas. The choir is positioned as a real commitment for Years 3 to 6, with weekly rehearsals and participation in large-scale events, including Young Voices in January 2026. The choir page also describes community-facing performances, including singing at Williams Place and Didcot Hospital, which is a strong example of using the arts to connect pupils to service and confidence.

Pupil leadership is broad rather than symbolic. Opportunities include Digital Leaders, Sports Leaders, Eco Council, and a Diversity Council, alongside more traditional roles such as prefects and house captains. For many children, these roles matter because they provide structured ways to contribute that do not depend on being the loudest voice in the room.

Outdoor learning is another distinctive feature because it is timetabled by year group across the year rather than being occasional. Examples like pond dipping and building bug hotels make science vocabulary stick, and the planned rotation means every cohort gets a dedicated slice of this style of learning.

Clubs appear to run in half-term blocks with a mix of staff-led and external-provider options, including areas such as craft, cookery, choir, and sport, with some clubs carrying a charge. If you need guaranteed childcare rather than enrichment, the school is explicit that clubs are not designed as childcare cover, and points families toward wraparound options.

School day

Gates open at 8:40am; the school day ends at 3:30pm. Total taught time is stated as 34 hours and 10 minutes per week.

Wraparound care

Breakfast Club runs from 7:30am for Reception to Year 6 and has a stated daily capacity of 40 places. After-school provision is delivered through Get Active, with sessions running up to 6:00pm depending on booking choice.

Nursery sessions

The nursery day is structured as morning and afternoon sessions (8:45am to 11:45am; 12:30pm to 3:30pm), with intake points across the year subject to availability.

Food

Reception to Year 2 are described as taking full advantage of universal infant free school meals. From Year 3, families can opt for packed lunch or a paid school meal, currently listed as £2.55.

Getting there

Great Western Park is served by local bus stops around the housing development, and Didcot Parkway is the main rail station for the town, with Great Western Railway services.

• Competition for places: Demand is high, with almost four applications per place in the latest admissions snapshot. Families should apply on time and keep realistic backup options.

• Nursery is not a back door: Attendance in the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place, and families must apply through the county process regardless.

• Longer day: The timetable runs longer than many primaries. For some families this is helpful, for others it can complicate transport and childcare handovers.

• Wraparound costs: Breakfast club and after-school care are available but are paid services, with after-school provision run by an external provider. That can be a positive for capacity and consistency, but it is a different experience from staff-run childcare.

Didcot Primary Academy offers an academically strong, well-organised primary experience for Great Western Park families, with stable leadership since opening and a culture that takes enrichment and pupil responsibility seriously. It suits families who want clear routines, a longer school day that protects time for the wider curriculum, and a school that feels ambitious without becoming narrow. The limiting factor is admission, because demand materially exceeds places.