St Michael's CofE Aided Primary Review 2026: High-performing village primary with strong outcomes and outdoor learning

A one-form-entry Church of England primary in Aldbourne, St Michael’s pairs very strong Key Stage 2 outcomes with a school day that makes time for the basics and for breadth. Morning routines start early, the day includes daily collective worship, and each class begins with the school’s “mile run” on its running track.

The academic picture is clear. In 2024, 87.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average of 62%. At higher standard, 33% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with 8% across England. Results sit alongside practical strengths that matter to families, including wraparound care through breakfast club and the Willows after-school club.

This is a small school with big-school expectations. The language of values is used consistently in day-to-day life, including the Church of England context that shapes assemblies and the rhythm of the week. The school’s collective worship timetable, alongside celebration assemblies, makes faith visible without making it the only story.

Leadership has been stable. Mrs Judith Arkwright has been headteacher since April 2013, having previously taught at the school. Recent communications also indicate a distributed leadership model at times, with Mr Ben Everitt stepping in as acting headteacher when Mrs Arkwright is not in school. Separately, a recruitment advert states the governing body is seeking a headteacher to lead from April 2026, which is useful context for families who value continuity.

The “small-school” feel is reinforced by structured roles for pupils. Worship leaders, buddies, and the school council are all highlighted as meaningful responsibilities rather than token badges. The buddy system is also visible in school life through events such as the annual “Buddy Service”.

St Michael’s sits well above the England picture for Key Stage 2 attainment. In 2024:

• 87.33% met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, versus 62% across England.

• 33% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, versus 8% across England.

• Average scaled scores were 110 in reading and 109 in mathematics, with 112 in grammar, punctuation and spelling.

The school ranks 393rd in England and 1st in Marlborough for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places it well above England average, within the top 10% of primary schools in England.

For parents, the practical implication is that pupils are leaving Year 6 with secure basics and strong depth for a meaningful minority. Where this tends to show is in confidence with reading and with mathematical language, including the ability to explain thinking, not just reach answers.

Teaching is structured and sequenced, with strong emphasis on early reading and on mathematics. Pupils begin phonics promptly on entry to school, and books are closely matched to pupils’ current phonic knowledge so that fluency builds reliably.

Mathematics is taught with careful attention to vocabulary and explanation, and this starts early. By the time pupils reach the upper years, the expectation is that they can articulate methods and reasoning, not only complete tasks. The timetable published by the school also shows a deliberate early-morning focus on phonics, spellings, or mental maths across the school.

One nuance is worth understanding. External review material notes that while the curriculum intent is ambitious, implementation is not equally secure in a minority of foundation subjects, with computing cited as an example where assessment and recall checks were not yet consistently identifying gaps. For families, that reads as a school that is academically serious, but still refining how consistently subject knowledge is built beyond English and mathematics.

Special educational needs support is clearly embedded. Most pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers, supported by adaptations and close work with parents and external agencies.

As a village primary, transition is about securing a smooth move to Year 7 and ensuring pupils arrive ready for a larger setting. Secondary transition is treated as a process rather than a one-off event. Staff from local secondary schools are invited to visit, and the school’s published SEND documentation notes that St John’s School usually visits, with ongoing liaison from Year 6 to Year 7.

For pupils with EHCPs and higher needs, the school describes a more formal transition pathway, including meetings and planning well before the end of Year 6.

Families should also note that secondary applications are a separate process and timetable. A school bulletin for 26 September 2025 reminded families that the Wiltshire deadline for secondary applications for September 2026 entry was 31 October 2025. Even when that specific date has passed, it signals the typical rhythm: early autumn is when Year 6 families need to be organised.

Admissions are coordinated through Wiltshire Council, with the school’s own admissions policy setting the oversubscription priorities for this voluntary aided school. Demand is real. For the most recent published primary entry route figures, there were 59 applications for 30 offers, a ratio of 1.97 applications per place, and the school is recorded as oversubscribed.

A key feature here is the designated area, defined by the ecclesiastical boundaries of the parish of Aldbourne. The policy states the school aims to provide a place for children whose address is within that designated area, and it sets separate priority groupings for applicants inside and outside it.

Within the policy, priority categories include looked-after and previously looked-after children, vulnerable children (including certain medical and family circumstances with supporting evidence), service children, and children of staff in specified circumstances. Siblings and practising Christians are then considered, with “practising Christians” defined as regular attendance at least once a month for at least twelve months prior to application, with confirmation requested from the relevant faith leader.

If preference is being claimed on faith grounds, the policy requires a supplementary application form with documentary evidence, submitted by 15 January 2026 for the September 2026 intake timetable. Where places are still contested within a category, the policy states straight-line distance is used as the deciding factor, measured using Ordnance Survey coordinates.

Families considering Reception should also note the coordinated admissions timetable published in the policy for September 2026 intake: applications due 15 January 2026, outcomes issued 16 April 2026, and offer acceptance by 30 April 2026.

A practical tip for parents: because both designated area and distance can matter, it is worth using FindMySchool’s Map Search tools to understand your likely priority position before relying on an outcome.

Pastoral systems are unusually structured for a small primary. The buddy system, pupil leadership roles, and a calm, consistent behaviour culture are all presented as daily norms, not occasional projects.

Outdoor play and physical wellbeing are treated as core design features of the day. OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) is used as a framework for improving playtime quality, with the school describing this as a whole-school improvement approach rather than simply buying new equipment. The “mile run” each morning is another example of a routine that turns wellbeing into habit.

Ofsted confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective

The school has several distinctive pillars outside lessons, and they are practical rather than performative.

Sport and physical confidence

A daily run is built into the published timetable, using the school’s running track. Clubs referenced in official materials include hockey and tag rugby, plus competitive sporting fixtures and festivals mentioned in school updates. A PTA letter also records investment in the track and an interactive rain garden, funded through significant community fundraising.

Play as serious business

The school’s Platinum OPAL accreditation (announced May 2024) indicates sustained attention to play quality and to the environment and resources that make play inclusive and challenging. For pupils, the implication is more freedom to explore, build, and invent, and for parents, a higher likelihood of muddy hems and happy tiredness at the end of the day.

Outdoor learning

Forest school appears as a recurring thread in communications and routines, including sessions referenced in weekly bulletins and investment in a forest school building described as an outdoor classroom.

Language and culture

A school bulletin states that Marlborough College runs a Mandarin after-school club on Wednesdays for Key Stage 2 pupils. Trips such as the Marlborough Literature Festival also add a wider cultural context for older pupils.

Houses and belonging

Pupils are organised into houses, including Kennet, Ridgeway, Winterbourne, and Four Barrows, with house days used as community moments across the school.

The school day starts at 08:35 and ends at 15:15, with a structured timetable including morning focus sessions, lunch at noon, and collective worship at 13:00.

Wraparound care is a genuine strength. Breakfast club runs from 07:45 until school starts, and is delivered by pre-school staff in the attached pre-school building. Willows After School Club runs until 18:00 Monday to Thursday and 17:45 on Fridays, with the option for a hot dinner cooked in school.

For travel, this is a village setting where routines are likely to be car, walk, or local lift-share rather than rail commuting. Families should check parking and drop-off expectations directly with the school, as these can change with local road layouts and safeguarding controls.

• A headship change is signposted. Recruitment materials indicate a new headteacher is expected from April 2026. For some families this is exciting, for others it raises questions about continuity and direction.

• Admissions are values-driven and can be complex. The designated area is defined through parish boundaries, and practising-Christian priority requires a supplementary form with evidence by the published deadline. Families who are not expecting faith-based criteria should read the policy carefully before applying.

• Competition for places is material. With close to two applications per place in the latest available figures, families should plan for realistic alternatives as well as hoping for St Michael’s.

• Curriculum consistency beyond core subjects is still being tightened. External review material highlights that a minority of subjects, including computing, had less consistent implementation and recall checking. Families with a child strongly oriented to these areas may want to ask how this has evolved since the last inspection.

St Michael’s is a high-performing village primary that takes both learning and childhood seriously. Strong Key Stage 2 outcomes sit alongside a purposeful school day, daily physical activity, and a clear Church of England character. Best suited to families who want excellent attainment, outdoor learning, and a values-led community, and who are comfortable engaging with faith-shaped admissions criteria. The limiting factor is often admission rather than the education itself.