Walgrave Primary School Review 2026, Strong outcomes with a clear focus on character

Walgrave Primary School is a small state primary in Walgrave, serving pupils aged 4 to 11, with a published capacity of 210. It sits in a village setting, but its approach feels deliberately structured and modern, with a clear emphasis on reading, pupil responsibility, and everyday opportunities to build confidence.

The school’s leadership picture is also clearly documented. Miss Natasha Bates is the headteacher, and the governing body appointed her as acting headteacher in September 2024.

In the most recent inspection, Ofsted graded the school as Good across all judgement areas, including early years, at the inspection in October 2024.

A defining feature here is the school’s deliberate focus on character, in ways that are practical rather than slogan-led. One of the clearest examples is its “100 Things” programme, a set of non-academic skills and activities pupils are encouraged to complete by the end of Year 6. The school frames this as preparation for resilience and confidence, and it functions as a shared reference point for pupils, families, and staff.

The way pupil responsibility is organised also helps explain the atmosphere. Older pupils support younger “buddies” at break times, and structured pupil roles appear to be part of daily life rather than occasional rewards. The inspection evidence describes pupils applying for roles of responsibility and taking them seriously, which usually correlates with a calm, purposeful tone in the classroom and on the playground.

Space and layout matter in a primary, and Walgrave’s site information is unusually specific. The original building dates to 1910, and the school was extended in 2006 to improve the reception area and offices. The site description also references a covered swimming pool, plus a school garden and a dedicated Foundation Stage outdoor area. That combination is not common for a village primary and it shapes day-to-day enrichment, especially for families who value swimming as part of the curriculum rather than an occasional trip.

Walgrave’s Key Stage 2 outcomes are strong in the metrics provided.

• Combined reading, writing and maths at the expected standard: 90%, compared with an England average of 62%.

• Higher standard in reading, writing and maths: 23.33%, compared with an England average of 8%.

• Scaled scores: Reading 107, maths 106, grammar, punctuation and spelling 109.

For parents, the implication is straightforward. Meeting the expected standard at 90% suggests that the typical pupil is leaving Year 6 with secure core skills, and the higher standard figure indicates a meaningful group of pupils are being stretched beyond the basics rather than simply coached to the pass threshold.

The school is also ranked 2,582nd in England and 23rd locally (Northampton area) for primary outcomes in the FindMySchool proprietary rankings, which are based on official performance data. This places the school above England average, within the top 25% of primaries in England on this measure.

It is worth reading these figures alongside the school’s approach to reading and curriculum structure. When outcomes are strong and the school has a clearly articulated curriculum and phonics approach, results tend to be more sustainable over time than when performance depends on one cohort or one subject.

Reading is presented as a central pillar. The inspection evidence points to a well-trained phonics approach, carefully matched books for younger pupils, and a culture where older pupils actively talk about class novels rather than seeing reading as something only done for assessment.

The school has also invested in a reading space with a distinctive identity, the Enchanted Woods library, positioned by the playground and used at lunchtimes and after school, with trained pupil librarians managing stock and making recommendations. This matters because it is a practical mechanism for turning reading into a habit. It also tends to help pupils who are not natural bookworms, since access is social and frequent rather than limited to a weekly slot.

Curriculum thinking is explicit on the school website, including a published set of values, Collaboration, Enjoyment, Responsibility, Respect, Innovation, and Challenge. In practice, a values set like this works best when it is tied to routines, behaviour expectations, and classroom talk. Here, the “100 Things” list and the structured pupil responsibilities are the kinds of mechanisms that make those values real.

A key nuance for families of younger pupils is the structure of classes. The inspection describes the introduction of mixed-age classes in younger year groups and notes that, at times, intended learning for Reception-age children within that mixed-age curriculum was not defined with enough clarity, affecting vocabulary choices and activity design. The implication is not that early years is weak overall, but that the school has identified a specific implementation detail to tighten, which is a useful question for parents to raise when visiting.

As a state primary, Walgrave’s main transition point is into Year 7. The school does not publish a destination list of secondary schools with named percentages, so families should plan on the usual local authority coordinated process and consider transport and journey time early, particularly in a village context.

For many families, the practical question is less about one “default” secondary and more about which options are realistically commutable, and how admissions criteria interact with where you live. FindMySchool’s Map Search can be useful here as a sense-checking tool, especially when comparing several likely secondary options side by side.

Walgrave is a state school with no tuition fees. Admission is therefore shaped by the local authority process and the school’s published arrangements rather than by direct fee-paying entry.

Demand indicators in the provided data show that Reception entry is competitive, with 39 applications for 28 offers, which equates to around 1.39 applications per place, and the entry route is listed as oversubscribed. For families, the implication is that you should treat Walgrave as a preference that may require a realistic second and third choice, rather than assuming entry is automatic.

The school’s admissions information also sets out clear dates for the coordinated application window. It states that the online application process opens 10 September and closes 15 January, with offers advised on 16 April, and that applications after 16 January are handled in an additional round in May.

Because today is 27 January 2026, the 15 January deadline for September 2026 Reception entry has already passed. Families applying now should treat this as a late application scenario and check the relevant local authority guidance for the current round and waiting list process.

Pastoral support is most convincing when it shows up in routines, not just policies. Here, the evidence highlights several concrete mechanisms.

• Pupils are encouraged to monitor how they are feeling, and they can use a calming corner or a sensory circuit when needed.

• The school positions mental wellbeing as part of its identity as a healthy school, with pupil roles such as healthy mind, healthy body ambassadors who support positive thinking and run dance exercise sessions.

For families, the implication is that wellbeing is being treated as a whole-school habit, not a last-minute intervention. That said, it is still worth asking how staff decide when a child needs additional support, how SEND support is organised, and how the school works with external services, particularly if your child has specific needs around anxiety, sensory regulation, or transitions.

Extracurricular provision is best judged by specificity. Walgrave’s evidence base includes named pupil-led and adult-led opportunities, plus external providers.

A strong example of pupil leadership is the sports crew, which designs playground games for younger pupils. This is more than a cute badge, it is a practical way to reduce loneliness at playtimes and to make older pupils responsible for the tone of the playground.

Clubs also appear to have breadth. The school references a range of specialist providers, including Pacesetters, MAB Gymnastics, Freestyle Soccer Academy, Hotshots Basketball, and Rocksteady Music School, alongside activities led by staff. The implication is that pupils can access structured coaching without families having to arrange as many separate clubs outside school, though it is still sensible to ask which clubs run each term and what costs apply.

The inspection evidence also references a Strictly Dance club reaching finals in a dance competition, which supports the picture of performance opportunities being real rather than token.

Finally, the school houses system adds a layer of identity. Every child and staff member is placed in one of four houses, chosen through a pupil-led democratic process, and the names are taken from historic halls and houses in the local area. This tends to work best in smaller schools where house events can be frequent and genuinely communal, and it often supports shy pupils by giving them a smaller “team within the school”.

The school day structure is clearly set out. The playground opens at 8:45, the bell is at 8:55, and the school day ends at 15:15.

Wraparound care is also explicit. Breakfast Club runs 8:00 to 8:45, and After School Club runs 15:15 to 18:00 each day. For working families, those hours are a concrete benefit, and it is worth asking about booking arrangements, session flexibility, and how provision works on inset days.

Transport is typically a mix of parent drop-off, walking where feasible, and some pupils going home by bus, as referenced in the school-day information. If you are relying on local authority transport support, check eligibility criteria early, since these can differ by distance, age, and route safety.

• Entry is not guaranteed. Reception demand indicators show more applications than offers, so families should plan preferences carefully and consider a realistic back-up choice.

• Early years curriculum clarity in mixed-age settings. External review evidence highlights a specific area for improvement around defining intended learning for Reception-age pupils within mixed-age classes, and ensuring vocabulary and activities align to that intent.

• Leadership continuity questions may matter to some families. The current headteacher was appointed acting headteacher in September 2024, following a period of leadership change in the federation. Families who value long-settled leadership may want to ask how leadership capacity is structured day to day.

• A village setting can mean transport constraints. Wraparound care helps, but families should still map out realistic morning and afternoon logistics, especially if siblings attend different settings.

Walgrave Primary School combines strong core outcomes with a coherent character education approach, and it backs this up with practical mechanisms such as the “100 Things” programme, pupil roles, and a reading culture anchored by the Enchanted Woods library. It suits families who want a structured, values-led primary with strong academic fundamentals, and who can engage early with the admissions process. Securing a place can be the limiting factor, so shortlist planning and realistic preferences matter.