Great Missenden CofE Combined School Review 2026: A high-performing village primary with strong values, strong results, and a clear leadership spine

There is a particular confidence to this school’s story. It is a Church of England primary that talks plainly about values, and then backs that up with systems and outcomes. It is also a school with a long local footprint, with roots stretching back to an original school building erected in 1822, and later expansion that reflects Great Missenden’s changing needs.

Today, it serves pupils aged 2 to 11, including nursery provision, and sits within the Great Learners Trust. It was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection (27 and 28 April 2022), with Outstanding judgements for personal development and for leadership and management.

Leadership is a visible part of the identity. Mr Johnny Magee has been headteacher since September 2019. For parents, the headline is simple: results at the end of Key Stage 2 are comfortably above England averages, and demand for Reception places is high enough that entry is oversubscribed.

This is a school that places significant weight on how pupils develop as people, not just as learners. You see that in the explicit attention to values, and in how often pupils are given purposeful roles. Alongside pupil leadership structures, there are named groups that indicate real ownership, including ECO Warriors and a School Nutrition Action Group (SNAG).

The Church of England character is not an add-on. Collective worship is daily, with a rhythm that ranges from classroom reflection to whole-school gatherings. The school describes worship as central, designed to help children think, reflect, and question, with assemblies intended to be engaging and interactive. A statutory Church school inspection (16 January 2018) graded the school’s Christian character as Outstanding, highlighting worship, values, and community partnerships as strengths, while also flagging the challenge of sustaining character through growth.

The physical story is unusually well documented. The history pages describe the oldest original school building being erected by James Oldham in 1822, originally intended both for worship and as a school-room for children. More recently, the school describes a newer building opened around three years after an August 2016 proposal, designed with large classrooms, open spaces, and renewable underground heating. That combination, heritage plus modern expansion, tends to matter in day-to-day school life because it creates the practical space for a larger roll, specialist areas, and flexible group work.

The school vision is framed in explicitly Christian language, with values expressed as paired ideas, Faith and Community, Love and Respect, Truth and Courage. What is more distinctive is the imagery used, keys to open doors, windows into the wider world, and the mirror, which signals a school that wants children thinking beyond immediate tasks.

The data picture is clear. In 2024, 80.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined. The England average is 62%. That gap is substantial, and it suggests consistency across the core rather than a spike in one subject. At the higher standard, 35.33% reached greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared to an England average of 8%. These figures put the school among stronger performers, particularly for stretching higher-attaining pupils.

The underlying components are also strong. In 2024 the school’s average scaled scores were 109 for reading, 106 for mathematics, and 107 for grammar, punctuation and spelling. Alongside that, 87% reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in mathematics, with 82% at expected in GPS and 86% at expected in science. The combined reading, maths and GPS high score measure sits at 39.33%, which matches the broader picture of both secure basics and a meaningful high-attainment cohort.

Rankings should always be read with context, but they help families compare options locally. Ranked 2888th in England and 2nd in Great Missenden for primary outcomes, this is a proprietary FindMySchool ranking based on official data. With an England percentile of 0.1905, performance sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England. That should translate, for most families, into a classroom pace that is purposeful, with many pupils ready for extension as well as consolidation.

For parents using data to shortlist, the FindMySchool Local Hub page can be useful, because it allows side-by-side comparison with nearby primaries using the same set of official measures and the same ranking methodology.

The school’s curriculum pages give a useful window into how teaching is organised. Reading, for example, is structured through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised in Early Years and Key Stage 1, then builds comprehension through VIPERS in Key Stage 2. For parents, the implication is practical: phonics and decoding are treated as a deliberate progression rather than an assumed skill, and comprehension is taught explicitly rather than left to general “reading more”.

Oracy is another stated priority. The school frames speaking and listening as life skills, with an emphasis on helping children “find their voice” and communicate clearly. In a primary context, this tends to show up as more structured talk in lessons, clearer expectations for presenting ideas, and pupils becoming more confident in explaining their thinking, which is especially helpful in mathematics reasoning and writing.

Early years provision is described as a “creative, happy and safe environment” intended to build confidence and independence through the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. For families considering nursery and Reception, the key question is how play-based learning links into more formal literacy and numeracy. The published approach indicates clear intent, and the school’s later Key Stage 2 outcomes suggest that the early building blocks are translating into strong attainment at the end of primary.

This is also a school that has historically used targeted support rather than waiting for gaps to widen. The Church school inspection report references approaches designed to help pupils keep up, and describes how leaders responded to performance dips with focused action and review. You do not need to be persuaded by the language of any single report to see the point: the school appears to monitor outcomes closely, then changes what needs changing.

As a Buckinghamshire primary, transition is shaped by a mixed secondary landscape, with upper schools and grammar school routes. Locally, The Misbourne School is the main secondary option in Great Missenden for many families.

Buckinghamshire’s selective system means some pupils will sit the Secondary Transfer Test during Year 6 if families are considering grammar school options. The county describes the test as measuring verbal, non-verbal and mathematical skills, across two test papers of about 60 minutes each. For the cohort moving up to secondary school in September 2026, the published test dates were 9 and 11 September 2025, which also gives a strong indication of typical timing in early September for future cycles.

The school’s own site signposts families to Secondary Transfer Test information resources, which suggests that staff understand the local reality and help parents navigate the timeline without presenting selection as the only path.

Demand for places is meaningful. For the Reception entry route, there were 74 applications for 30 offers, with an oversubscription ratio of 2.47 applications per place. That is a level where families should assume competition and plan carefully around the published criteria.

Buckinghamshire Council lists the admission number for Reception as 30 for September 2026 entry, and also shows an admission number for Year 3 of 34 for September 2026 entry. Applications for Reception are coordinated through the local authority process in Buckinghamshire.

For the September 2026 intake, Buckinghamshire’s timeline is explicit:

• Online applications opened 5 November 2025.

• The deadline to submit applications was 15 January 2026 at 11:59pm.

• National offer day is 16 April 2026.

If you are assessing your chances, the FindMySchool Map Search is useful for checking your precise distance and shortlisting realistically, especially in areas where demand is strong. In this case, last distance offered data is not available here, so your best next step is to read the admission policy for the relevant entry year and then sanity-check local patterns via the local authority’s admissions guidance.

Open events are clearly signposted by the school. The site lists an open morning for prospective parents, and also advertises headteacher-led tours at multiple points in the year. Because published dates can change, treat these as a pattern and confirm the latest schedule directly with the school.

Nursery and pre-school entry sits alongside the main school. Where early years funding forms are published, families should still expect the normal early years reality: availability can be sensitive to part-time versus full-time patterns and the timing of funded hours, so it is worth enquiring early.

The overall pastoral picture is strong, and it is notable that personal development was judged Outstanding at the latest Ofsted inspection. That usually correlates with more systematic work on responsibility, inclusion, and pupil voice, which fits with the named roles and groups visible across the school’s site.

Safeguarding information is detailed and role-specific, which is generally a sign of clear internal accountability. The school identifies a designated safeguarding lead and additional safeguarding leads across the senior and wider team. The Ofsted report confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Pastoral culture is also shaped by the faith framework. Daily worship, grace before lunch, and a values-led language of respect and community can be grounding for many pupils. For others, it is important that families feel comfortable with the level of explicit Christian practice, even in a school that welcomes pupils from a broad range of backgrounds.

Extracurricular life is clearly intended to be part of the offer, not a bolt-on. The school states that clubs change each term depending on staff interests and the season, and gives a useful list of regular examples, including Choir, Cookery, Lego Club, Gardening, Board Games, and an Eco Club. The implication for families is that there is usually something for both the confident joiners and the quieter children who need a specific “hook” to commit.

There is also a more detailed clubs page which signals structured provision across the week. Examples include Chess Club (lunchtime), and external activities such as multi-sports, football, and martial arts sessions. While specific club options can change, the consistent message is that lunchtime and after-school opportunities are actively programmed.

Sport and physical development

Sport appears in several forms: regular clubs, competitive teams, and leadership roles. Year 6 Sports Ambassadors are explicitly named, which is often a useful confidence-builder for older pupils who benefit from responsibility and structured contribution.

Music and performance

Music is present both as a club strand and as a broader set of curriculum resources, with the school publicly signposting music-related communication and materials. For families with musically inclined children, the right next step is to ask how instrumental tuition and ensemble opportunities are organised across Key Stages 1 and 2, because the infrastructure looks to be in place.

Values in action

The most distinctive “beyond lessons” feature is how often pupil roles are used as a vehicle for values. ECO Warriors and SNAG are practical examples: they move the school’s ideals into visible day-to-day action, and that can be especially motivating for pupils who learn best through responsibility and real tasks.

The school day is clearly published. Gates open at 8.30am, registration is at 8.50am, and the school day ends at 3.15pm. Lunch is staggered by phase, with a separate lunchtime schedule for Early Years and Key Stage 1, Years 3 and 4, and Years 5 and 6.

Wraparound care is available. Buckinghamshire Council’s school listing indicates before-school provision from 7.50am and after-school provision until 6pm. The school’s own Jelly Beans breakfast and after-school club page also publishes session timings and pricing, including options that extend to 6pm.

For travel, Great Missenden is served by Great Missenden station, and parking is listed as available at the station itself. For day-to-day school runs, the practical reality is usually walking and short car journeys within the village, with the main pressure point being drop-off and pick-up flow on narrower village streets.

• Entry competition at Reception. With 74 applications for 30 offers, demand is meaningfully higher than supply. Families should read the admission policy carefully and keep a realistic backup plan.

• Faith character is real. Daily worship and a strong Christian values framework shape the school day. Many families love this clarity; others may prefer a less faith-centred routine.

• A Buckinghamshire transition context. The grammar school route and the Secondary Transfer Test are part of the local environment. Even families not pursuing selection may feel its wider influence on Year 5 and Year 6 conversations.

• Growth brings opportunities and pressures. The school has expanded over time, including a newer building designed for increased demand. Larger schools can offer more clubs and leadership roles, but they also need consistent systems to maintain a close-knit feel.

This is a strong, values-driven village primary with outcomes that compare very favourably to England averages, and leadership that is visible and stable. It suits families who want a Church of England setting where worship and values have an everyday role, and who appreciate both academic stretch and structured opportunities beyond lessons. The main hurdle is admission, particularly at Reception, so the practical fit depends as much on the admissions criteria as it does on educational preferences.