Sharnford Church of England Primary School Review 2026: A small village school with big Key Stage 2 outcomes

Four classes, a close-knit village intake, and a results profile that stands out well beyond its size. Sharnford Church of England Primary School serves Sharnford and Wigston Parva and sits within Inspiring Primaries Academy Trust, working in a local hub model with partner schools.

Academic outcomes at Key Stage 2 are a clear headline. In 2024, 85.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an England average of 62%. Higher standard outcomes are also elevated, with 31% meeting the higher standard in reading, writing and maths, versus 8% across England. This is a school where small cohorts do not mean small ambition.

The school’s identity is explicitly Church of England, and it is presented as more than a label. A recent Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS), dated 27 November 2025, describes a distinctively Christian vision that is well understood across the community, with daily collective worship positioned as a shared anchor for belonging and reflection.

Scale matters here. The prospectus sets out three mixed-age classes plus Early Years and Key Stage 1 grouped together (EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2), with Years 3 and 4 together, and Years 5 and 6 together. That structure tends to suit children who benefit from being known well by staff, and it can also help older pupils develop responsibility early, because “being the oldest” arrives sooner in a smaller setting.

Leadership is clearly defined in a trust context. Mrs Sharon Boyd-Hope is listed as Headteacher/Principal on Get Information About Schools, and the school describes her as Head of School, alongside a hub Executive Principal model. Her own profile notes she became Head of School at Sharnford in 2019.

Key Stage 2 outcomes are strong by both attainment and ranking measures.

• In 2024, 85.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the England average of 62%.

• At the higher standard, 31% met the higher standard in reading, writing and maths, compared with the England average of 8%.

• Average scaled scores were 108 in reading, 108 in maths, and 107 in grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS). Total combined score across reading, maths and GPS was 323.

Rankings reinforce that this performance is sustained rather than a one-off. Ranked 2,390th in England and 2nd in Hinckley for primary outcomes, this places the school above the England average and comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England, based on FindMySchool rankings using official data.

A key theme in the most recent Ofsted inspection report is a structured approach to early reading and language, plus a deliberate focus on oracy and vocabulary. The report describes a consistent phonics approach and highlights a curriculum emphasis on speaking and subject vocabulary, including the use of a named vocabulary approach in lessons.

Curriculum design is also framed at trust level. The school states it follows the CUSP curriculum across multiple subjects within its hub and across the trust, with learning sequenced to build knowledge over time. For parents, the practical implication is consistency, pupils moving through year groups with a clear thread, and fewer abrupt changes in expectations between topics.

Mathematics is described with an emphasis on talk and reasoning, regular problem-solving, and planned moments to address misconceptions. This matters in a small school because progress can be uneven in tiny cohorts, so a clear lesson structure helps keep teaching quality consistent across mixed-age groupings.

Pupils transfer to secondary school at 11+. The school’s own materials flag the practical continuity angle too, for example, French is positioned as preparation because most of the school’s main feeder secondary schools teach French at Key Stage 3. That is a small but telling detail, it suggests transition is considered in curriculum choices rather than treated as an afterthought.

For families planning ahead, the most useful step is to check secondary catchment options early, then align primary and secondary plans. Leicestershire’s admissions processes are coordinated and deadline-driven, so families who are unsure should map out key dates well in advance.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

Admissions are competitive for a small setting. For the relevant entry route in the latest available data, there were 28 applications for 8 offers, which is 3.5 applications per place, and the school is recorded as oversubscribed.

The published admissions number (PAN) for the normal year of entry in the school’s admissions policy is 15 pupils. Catchment is explicitly defined as the parishes of Sharnford and Wigston Parva, and the policy explains that living outside the designated area does not prevent families applying, but priority is applied when places are limited.

Applications for the Early Years Foundation Stage class are made through the Local Authority common application form, and the school policy repeats the key national deadline: 15 January.

For Autumn 2026 entry in Leicestershire, the application round opened 1 September 2025, closed 15 January 2026, and National Offer Day is 16 April 2026.

If you are weighing the odds of a place, use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check your exact distance and compare it against prior allocation patterns, then treat it as guidance rather than a guarantee.

The most recent Ofsted inspection confirmed that the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Beyond safeguarding, the broader support picture is unusually specific for a small primary. The prospectus describes both an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) role and a Family Support Worker, which often indicates a school that expects to support pupils and families through the normal bumps of primary life, not only formal SEND processes.

For pupils with additional needs, the prospectus sets out a graduated approach and the role of the SENDCo, including how school-led support can escalate to statutory assessment when needed.

Enrichment here blends the practical and the community-focused, and it makes sense in a four-class school where activities can help broaden friendship groups.

From the prospectus, recent clubs have included gardening club, worship club, and board games club, alongside sport such as tennis, athletics and basketball. These are typically offered at lunchtime or after school, with some activities targeted to particular groups at different points in the year.

Sports premium documentation adds extra texture, naming bouncercise, archery, athletics and Real Play as examples of clubs that have been offered. It also references cross-curricular orienteering training for staff and a Year 5 and 6 Go Ape experience, suggesting the school tries to ensure older pupils get at least a couple of standout “memory-maker” experiences even in a small setting.

There is also a Strava Club page aimed at staff and families, structured around shared activity challenges such as walking, cycling, or swimming. It is a modest initiative, but it can be effective in village communities where school life and family life overlap closely.

The school day is clearly set out in the prospectus. Gates open at 08:45, the morning session starts at 08:55, and school ends at 15:15.

Wraparound care is offered through Kidspace, with morning sessions from 07:30 to school drop-off and afternoon sessions running until 18:00, based at the Evergreen Hall in Sharnford.

On-site facilities described in school materials include play and social spaces that fit the setting, with Key Stage 2 access to a playground area with benches and picnic tables, plus features such as a ball wall, basketball nets, a tyre park and a climbing wall.

• Small cohorts mean limited places. With a PAN of 15 for the normal year of entry and oversubscription pressures evident in recent demand data, securing admission can be the main constraint.

• Mixed-age classes are part of the model. Many pupils thrive with older and younger children learning together, but some children prefer a single-year structure and may need time to settle into mixed-age expectations.

• Faith identity is real, not tokenistic. Daily collective worship is part of the routine and Christian values shape school life. Families who prefer a strictly secular setting should read the admissions policy carefully and ask detailed questions at visit stage.

• Extras still carry costs. The prospectus makes clear that parents are asked for voluntary contributions for some visits and activities, plus swimming contributions, even though tuition is free.

Sharnford Church of England Primary School combines the feel of a small village school with Key Stage 2 outcomes that compare strongly against England benchmarks. The faith character is clearly integrated, and the curriculum and enrichment choices show an effort to give pupils breadth despite the school’s size. Best suited to families in Sharnford or Wigston Parva who want a values-led primary with strong attainment and a tight-knit community, and who are realistic about the competition for a small number of places.