Pierrepont Gamston Primary School Review 2026: Church of England primary with top 10% KS2 outcomes

A state primary where Christian life is visible in everyday routines, from grace at lunchtime to regular services with local churches, but admissions are still inclusive of families of any or no faith. Academic outcomes are also a clear draw. The school’s Key Stage 2 profile places it well above England average, and its FindMySchool ranking sits within the top 10% of primaries in England. Demand is the other headline. Recent figures show far more applications than available places, so families need to treat admissions as a process to manage, not a formality.

Leadership has also shifted recently. Mrs Claire Bills was appointed headteacher from September 2023, following the previous head’s tenure at the time of the last Ofsted inspection.

This is a voluntary aided Church of England school, and that identity is not confined to assemblies. The school describes its Christian foundation as being at the core of school life and frames belonging around being valued and loved, alongside high expectations.

Day-to-day culture, as described in the most recent inspection, leans strongly towards warm relationships and calm behaviour. Pupils are described as happy and feeling safe, with poor behaviour being unusual and bullying characterised as very rare. The same account highlights a deliberately relational lunchtime routine, including a child saying grace and older pupils helping younger pupils, which is an unusually specific glimpse into how the school tries to build community across year groups.

Pastoral support is structured around named, accessible touchpoints. The inspection report references the “Helpful-room” as a place pupils can go to speak with a trusted adult if they have worries, which indicates a model where emotional support is normalised rather than treated as exceptional.

Leadership roles are clearly signposted to parents. Alongside the head, the school publishes a senior leadership line-up including a deputy head (also Key Stage 1 lead), an assistant head (Key Stage 2 lead), and an early years lead who is also the SENCO. For parents, that visibility matters because it tells you quickly who is responsible for which phase when questions come up about reading, behaviour, or support needs.

Outcomes at the end of Key Stage 2 are a strength on this profile. In 2024, 93% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 33% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%. Reading and grammar, punctuation and spelling show particularly high scaled scores, both at 110, with mathematics at 108.

Ranked 776th in England and 8th in Nottingham for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), this places the school well above England average (top 10%).

For parents weighing what these figures mean in practice, the biggest implication is not simply “high attainment”. It is consistency across the basics. A strong combined reading, writing and maths outcome generally indicates that children are not only doing well in one standout subject. They are keeping pace across the core, which tends to make the transition into Year 7 less bumpy, particularly for literacy-heavy subjects.

A final note on interpretation. Very high percentages can sometimes sit alongside a culture where pupils feel pressure in Year 6. It is sensible to ask how the school balances readiness for statutory assessments with broader learning, especially if your child is anxious by temperament.

Reading is treated as a priority in the official account of the school’s work. The inspection report highlights frequent checks on phonics knowledge and a system of extra lessons for pupils who are behind, alongside staff training intended to keep phonics delivery consistent.

The wider curriculum has been intentionally reshaped. Leaders are described as having restructured the curriculum in almost all subjects, identifying important concepts pupils should learn and providing teachers with activities and resources to support that sequencing. For parents, this matters because it usually shows up in clearer progression. Children revisit ideas, build vocabulary over time, and are better prepared to tackle unfamiliar tasks because they have a stronger underlying framework to draw on.

Mathematics is described in terms that go beyond fluency. The inspection narrative references pupils choosing challenges that develop reasoning and problem-solving. That can be a good fit for children who enjoy being stretched and like explaining their thinking, not only arriving at the answer.

There are also clearly identified areas to improve. Design and technology is singled out as a subject where leaders had introduced a new curriculum and training, but where the “important knowledge” teachers should teach in each lesson was not yet fully identified, limiting secure understanding over time. In addition, there is a stated need for a more consistent approach across subjects to help pupils recall prior learning, so that key knowledge is retained. These are useful points for parents because they are concrete, not vague, and they suggest precisely what leaders were expected to tighten.

The school does not publish a simple “destination list” for Year 6 leavers on its website, which is normal for state primaries. What can be said with confidence is that pupils move on to a range of local secondary schools across the Rushcliffe and wider Nottingham area, shaped by family preference and Nottinghamshire coordinated admissions.

One useful indicator of typical pathways comes from a local secondary’s published admissions information. Rushcliffe Spencer Academy lists Pierrepont Gamston School among its linked primary schools. That does not guarantee progression, but it does provide a grounded signal that this is one of the established primary routes into that secondary option.

For families with selective, faith, or independent routes in mind at Year 7, it is worth treating Year 5 as the point to start planning. Not because the school pushes a particular pathway, but because the practicalities of application timelines, travel, and entrance requirements sit outside the primary timetable.

Admissions are competitive. Recent demand figures show 146 applications for 38 offers, which is a ratio of 3.84 applications per place. This is consistent with the school’s status as oversubscribed. Competition for places is the limiting factor.

For September 2026 entry into Reception, Nottinghamshire’s published timeline opens applications on 03 November 2025, with the national closing date on 15 January 2026. Offers are released on 16 April 2026 (or the next working day if it falls on a weekend).

Because the school is voluntary aided, it is also its own admissions authority and applies its own oversubscription criteria within the local authority coordinated process. The published admission number for 2026/27 is 45. Up to 20% of places (9 in total) are designated as Foundation Places, tied to a demonstrated commitment to church school education supported through a supplementary form and verified worship attendance criteria. The remaining places are Community Places, allocated through a priority order that includes siblings and then proximity, with distance measured using local authority software.

Practically, this means families who want their faith practice considered should plan early enough to complete both the local authority application and the school’s supplementary form by the published deadline. Families applying under non-faith routes still apply through the standard Nottinghamshire process, and should focus on the school’s oversubscription criteria and distance measurement approach.

A sensible step at shortlist stage is to use the FindMySchool Map Search to estimate your distance and to stress-test your assumptions about how realistic a place may be in an oversubscribed year.

Pastoral systems are described in specific, child-friendly terms. The “Helpful-room” referenced in the inspection report gives a clear picture of a school that expects children to talk to adults when something is wrong, rather than waiting for behaviour to deteriorate. Pupils are also described as knowing bullying is rare and believing issues are resolved well when they arise, which suggests confidence in staff follow-through.

Safeguarding is treated as a core operational strength in the same official account. The report describes comprehensive training and regular updates so staff recognise concerns, detailed record keeping, and swift engagement with external agencies where required. It also notes that governors carry out regular checks on safeguarding procedures.

Wellbeing support is also signposted to parents through published resources, including links to the NSPCC and other guidance around anxiety and mental health. This is not the same as a dedicated in-school therapy service, but it indicates that the school wants families to access reliable support and shared language when children are struggling.

Play and pupil leadership appear to be two pillars of wider school life.

On play, the school has launched OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning), a structured approach designed to improve the quality of playtimes. It has also created dedicated playworker roles and named OPAL leads, which is a stronger commitment than the typical “duty staff” model and often results in more varied play opportunities across age groups.

On leadership, pupils have multiple routes to responsibility. The inspection report references a pupil parliament and junior road safety officers. The school’s own pupil parliament update also shows that fundraising and civic participation are taken seriously, including a Children in Need appeal that raised £717. These roles tend to suit pupils who like structured responsibility and enjoy representing their class, and they also help quieter children find a non-sport route to visibility.

Clubs exist beyond leadership roles. An example from the school calendar is Spaghetti Maths Club (Years 1 to 6), which signals provision for children who enjoy problem-solving and a less formal approach to mathematics enrichment. Eco Club is another clearly defined strand, with activities including litter picking, planting bulbs, and participation in the RSPB national birdwatch.

For parents comparing options locally, the key question is not whether clubs exist, but whether they feel accessible. Here, the mix of play-focused OPAL, practical eco activity, and structured pupil roles gives a fairly broad offer, including for children who are not naturally drawn to competitive sport.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still budget for usual extras such as uniform, trips, and optional clubs, with costs varying by child and year group.

The school day includes a lunchtime window of 11.45am to 12.45pm. The day ends at 3.20pm for Reception (Sparrows) and 3.30pm for the rest of the school.

Wraparound care is clearly established and branded as Kids Club. Breakfast club runs from 7.30am until the start of school, and after-school club runs until 6pm. Holiday club is also offered for most school holidays and INSET days, excluding specified periods in summer and Christmas.

For travel and drop-off, it is sensible to expect a busy local street environment at peak times, given the school’s oversubscription and published emphasis on road safety roles. Families who drive should plan for considerate parking and allow extra time, particularly if you need wraparound drop-off or pick-up.

• Oversubscription reality. Recent demand figures show 146 applications for 38 offers, indicating that many families will be disappointed even if the school is their first choice. Have a realistic Plan B and understand how priority is applied.

• Faith admissions nuance. As a voluntary aided school, up to 20% of places (9) are Foundation Places linked to church commitment evidenced through a supplementary form. Families who want faith practice considered need to plan documentation and timings early; families who do not should be comfortable that the school’s Christian ethos will still be part of daily life.

• Curriculum development areas. Official evaluation identified design and technology curriculum knowledge and consistent recall routines as areas leaders needed to improve. Ask how those points have been addressed since the 2022 inspection, particularly if your child thrives on structured retrieval and clear progression.

• Year 6 intensity. Very high Key Stage 2 outcomes can come with a purposeful Year 6 culture. For children who become anxious around tests, ask about how the school supports confidence and balance during the spring term.

Pierrepont Gamston Primary School combines a visible Church of England identity with high academic expectations and strong Key Stage 2 outcomes. The offer is not only about results; it is also about daily routines that emphasise relationships, responsibility, and belonging, supported by systems such as the Helpful-room and structured pupil leadership. Best suited to families who want a faith-inflected school culture, value high attainment, and can manage the competitive admissions context with a clear backup plan.