Mitcheldean Endowed Primary School Review 2026: High-attainment CofE primary with a clear parish focus

A soft start from 8.40am sets the tone here, it is designed to help pupils settle calmly and get organised before the register. The school’s Achieve, Believe, Contribute message is not just branding, it runs through worship, rewards, and day-to-day expectations.

Academically, the headline is strong Key Stage 2 attainment. In 2024, 87% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 29% reached greater depth across reading, writing and maths, compared with an England average of 8%. (FindMySchool metrics, based on official data.)

This is a voluntary aided Church of England primary, and admissions are shaped accordingly, with priority given to children within the ecclesiastical parish of Abenhall and Mitcheldean, plus siblings and other criteria.

The school’s Christian ethos is explicit and structured, with collective worship built into the timetable on Monday to Thursday and a longer celebration worship on Fridays. The values framing is also unusually specific for a primary, referencing “light” imagery from Matthew’s Gospel and setting a deliberate expectation that pupils contribute beyond themselves, at home and in the community.

Behaviour and routines are treated as a teaching tool rather than an afterthought. Rewards such as the Learning Dinosaurs (with playful labels like Tryatops and Achievasaurus) reinforce the idea that effort and improvement are the point, not just getting things right first time. For many children, that combination of warmth and clarity is a strong fit, especially where confidence needs building.

Leadership stability also matters at a small, community-rooted school. Mrs Kathryn Oshun is listed as headteacher on the Department for Education’s Get Information About Schools service, with her governance role dated from 23 April 2019. (Some documents describe slightly different timing; where there is inconsistency across sources, the government record is the cleanest reference point for appointment.)

The 2024 Key Stage 2 profile is notably strong.

• Expected standard (reading, writing and maths combined): 87%, versus England average 62%.

• Higher standard across reading, writing and maths: 29%, versus England average 8%.

• Scaled scores are also high, with reading 107, maths 106, and GPS 110. (FindMySchool metrics, based on official data.)

Rankings translate that performance into a simple comparator. Ranked 2,159th in England and 3rd in Forest of Dean for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), this places results above England average and comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England.

The more useful implication for parents is what the numbers usually signal day-to-day. Attainment at this level tends to come from consistent phonics and reading practice, tight curriculum sequencing in maths, and teachers being clear about the small steps pupils must master before moving on. That picture aligns with the school’s emphasis on calm starts, clear routines, and a strong learning culture.

Early reading and phonics are treated as the core engine of the school. Children start learning to read as soon as they join, with structured phonics teaching and extra support for pupils who find reading hard. Work on comprehension style skills such as inference and prediction is also an explicit development focus.

Maths is organised with similar intent, including dedicated “maths meet” sessions to practise and consolidate skills. The benefit is that pupils get repeated exposure to methods and vocabulary, then are expected to apply them to new problems, rather than endlessly re-learning the same content.

Curriculum development is ongoing. In subjects where leaders have redesigned what is taught, assessment is still being sharpened so staff can identify precisely which knowledge and vocabulary pupils have securely learned. For families, that is less about a “problem” and more about understanding where the school’s improvement effort is currently pointed, strengthening assessment is a technical task that can raise consistency across classes.

Preparation for Year 7 is taken seriously and made concrete. The diary includes a dedicated Year 6 transition week at Dene Magna Community School (scheduled for 22 to 26 June 2026), which is a helpful indicator of how the school manages the move to secondary.

In practical terms, most families will be weighing a combination of travel time, friendship continuity, and the admissions reality for local secondaries. A strong primary attainment profile gives pupils options, but the best transition tends to come when Year 6 balances academic consolidation with organisational readiness, independence, and confidence in new settings. The school’s focus on behaviour, routines, and pastoral support suggests it takes that wider readiness seriously, not just test outcomes.

Entry is competitive in the local data available. Recent Reception entry figures show 56 applications for 30 offers, which is consistent with the school being oversubscribed. (FindMySchool admissions data.)

The school’s standard admission number is 30 for Reception. Because it is a voluntary aided Church of England school, the admissions structure is distinctive:

• Priority is given to looked-after and previously looked-after children.

• Parish links matter, children living within the ecclesiastical parish of Abenhall and Mitcheldean sit ahead of applicants outside it.

• Siblings are prioritised, with a clearly defined sibling policy.

• There is also a staff criterion, and a medical criterion requiring supporting evidence.

• Where places need to be ranked by distance, measurement is done as a straight line to a central point at the school, using the local authority’s system.

• If two applicants are exactly the same distance, the policy states a “names in the hat” process.

For September 2026 entry specifically, Gloucestershire’s coordinated admissions window ran from 3 November 2025 to 15 January 2026, with allocation day on 16 April 2026 and a reply deadline of 23 April 2026. (As of 27 January 2026, that application deadline has passed; families looking to a later intake should expect a similar November to January pattern and confirm the current year’s dates.)

A practical tip: where distance is relevant to the tie-break, families should use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check likely proximity outcomes and to sanity-check assumptions before relying on a place.

Pastoral support is unusually specific and skill-led. The school identifies a pastoral lead (Kathy Histed) and names defined interventions, including nurture groups and social skills groups, plus staff training in Lego Therapy and Sand Play. It also lists trained Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs) and attachment leads.

That matters because it signals capacity. In many primary schools, pastoral work exists but is informal and dependent on a single individual; here it is described as a team approach with concrete tools. For pupils who are anxious, struggle with friendships, or find transitions hard, this kind of structured pastoral offer can make the school day more manageable and reduce low-level disruption.

Safeguarding leadership is also clearly set out, with the headteacher named as the designated safeguarding lead, supported by deputy safeguarding leads. This clarity helps families know how concerns are handled and who holds responsibility.

Enrichment is grounded in real experiences rather than generic “clubs”. Pupils have access to forest school activities (including den-building, tool use, and willow sculpture), and clubs mentioned include theatrical dance. Those are strong examples because they combine creativity, practical skills, and confidence in performance.

Wider development is also supported through cultural and skills experiences such as African drumming and archery, plus opportunities to visit the theatre and take part in concerts. In a small primary, these moments often become the “hooks” children remember, and they can be especially motivating for pupils who do not define themselves primarily through English and maths.

The website also indicates a Monday drama club at the time of access. Families should expect clubs to change termly depending on staffing and demand, but the presence of a named club suggests enrichment is active rather than theoretical.

The core school day runs 8.50am to 3.20pm, with a soft-start arrival from 8.40am. Worship is scheduled most afternoons, and the school states pupils spend 32.5 hours per week in school.

Wraparound care is clearly defined. Breakfast club runs from 7.40am, and the school publishes charges of £4.50 per morning. After-school club runs Monday to Thursday, with a shorter session to 4.30pm (£4.50) and a longer session to 5.30pm (£9.00).

For transport, Mitcheldean is well served by bus links rather than rail. A practical reference point is that local bus services include a route connecting through to Lydney Station, which can help families who commute beyond the immediate Forest of Dean area.

• Admissions are shaped by parish criteria. This is a voluntary aided Church of England school and the admissions policy gives priority to children within the ecclesiastical parish of Abenhall and Mitcheldean. Families outside the parish should read the criteria carefully and plan realistically.

• Small cohorts can feel intense at peak times. With a standard admission number of 30 and evidence of oversubscription, friendship dynamics and parent networks can feel close-knit. That suits many families; some may prefer a larger primary.

• Curriculum improvement is currently focused on assessment precision. In some subjects where the curriculum has been redesigned, assessment is still being refined to identify exactly what pupils have learned and what gaps remain. Parents who like tight academic tracking should ask how this is developing.

• Wraparound care is available, but it is not free. Breakfast and after-school club charges are published, and costs can add up over a week for working families.

Mitcheldean Endowed Primary School combines a clearly articulated Church of England identity with strong Key Stage 2 attainment and a disciplined, positive learning culture. The practical offer is well thought-through, with a soft start, defined wraparound care, and structured pastoral support.

Who it suits: families who want a values-led primary with above-average results, who are comfortable engaging with parish-shaped admissions, and who value a school that invests in routines, reading, and wellbeing as much as headline scores. The main hurdle is admission competition rather than the education once a place is secured.