Wray Common Primary School Review 2026: High-performing Reigate primary with a standout swimming offer

A two-form entry primary in Wray Common, Reigate, this is the sort of school families notice early because the outcomes are consistently strong. In 2024, 87% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average of 62%. At greater depth, 39% reached the higher standard, compared with 8% across England.

Leadership is stable. Mr Lloyd Murphy has been headteacher since September 2013. That steadiness shows up in the school’s clear internal language, including CAPTURE learning and a well-developed pupil leadership structure, plus house teams (Emeralds, Rubies, Diamonds, Sapphires).

Admission is the hard part. For Reception, 249 applications competed for 60 offers in the latest dataset, which is 4.15 applications per place. The school is oversubscribed.

The school’s identity is unusually specific for a state primary. You will hear CAPTURE used as a practical learning framework, built around children taking ownership through collaborating, asking, persevering, thinking, using what they know, reflecting and exploring. It reads like a memorable acronym, but it is also an expectation of how lessons run and how pupils talk about progress.

Values education is also formalised. Rather than relying on generic “be kind” messaging, the school sets out an explicit values programme (including ideas like respect, courage, honesty and gratitude) and links this to behaviour expectations and citizenship.

Pupil responsibility is baked in early and then scaled up across the school. There is a School Council with representation from every class, plus roles such as peer mediators (supporting playtime relationships), sports leaders, eco council and recycling monitors, and reading mentors who hear younger pupils read. The effect for families is practical: children who thrive on purposeful roles and visible responsibility often settle quickly, while quieter children still get structured routes into contribution.

The school is part of Greensand Multi-Academy Trust, and it describes itself as a founder member. That trust context matters, because it typically brings shared staff development and common approaches across member schools, while the school-level culture still feels clearly defined.

Outcomes at the end of Key Stage 2 are the headline. In 2024, 87% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 39% reached greater depth, far above the England average of 8%. Reading is a particular strength, with 91% meeting the expected standard, and 46% hitting the higher standard. Mathematics is also strong, with 85% at expected and 37% at the higher standard. Grammar, punctuation and spelling sits at 81% expected and 38% higher standard. Science outcomes are high, at 95% meeting the expected standard.

Scaled scores reinforce that picture. In 2024, the average scaled score was 108 for reading, 107 for mathematics, and 107 for grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Rankings, based on official data and published as FindMySchool proprietary rankings, place the school 2,651st in England and 2nd in Reigate for primary outcomes. That places it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England.

Families comparing nearby schools can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and the Comparison Tool to line up these measures against local alternatives in Surrey, using the same underlying dataset.

A school with strong results still needs to explain how it gets there, and the most useful clues sit in the way learning is structured. Curriculum information is unusually detailed, with subject pages and year-group maps available, which signals a “planned and explicit” approach rather than a topic-led model that changes shape every year.

Mathematics appears to be a key focus. The school publicly references a progression of skills and positions maths as central to its mission, alongside reading and writing. For pupils who enjoy pattern, reasoning and cumulative learning, this kind of emphasis can be very motivating. For those who find maths hard, it usually means support needs to be prompt and structured, because expectations remain high.

Talk is treated as a learning tool, not just a classroom management strategy. The school describes routine use of learning pairs, groups and structured discussion to deepen understanding, and links this to confidence and wellbeing.

Assessment and intervention are organised and formal. The SEND information report describes three key assessment points across the year, followed by pupil progress meetings, plus support plans (including learning support and wellbeing plans) that are reviewed termly where needed.

As a primary school, the main question is transition, especially for children who will need a careful step-up from a high-expectation setting.

The school describes established links with feeder early years settings and with receiving secondary schools, including Year 6 staff meetings with secondary colleagues to support a smooth transition for pupils with additional needs.

Locally, one obvious secondary pathway is Reigate School, which is also within Greensand Multi-Academy Trust. That does not guarantee priority or a place, but it can create helpful continuity in expectations, shared training approaches, and transition conversations.

Reception entry is coordinated by Surrey County Council, with Greensand Multi-Academy Trust as the admissions authority. For September 2026 entry, the Published Admission Number is 60, and the application deadline is Thursday 15 January 2026. Surrey’s admissions timetable indicates applications open on 3 November 2025, offers are released on 16 April 2026, and families must accept or decline by 30 April 2026.

Oversubscription is a defining feature. The latest dataset shows 249 applications for 60 offers, which is 4.15 applications per place. First preferences also exceed offers, so it is not simply a case of families listing the school as a lower choice.

When a school is this popular, details matter: priority categories and distance measurement rules can decide outcomes at the margins. Families should use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check their exact distance against recent cut-offs, and to sanity-check whether a move genuinely changes eligibility.

Open events are presented primarily through the school’s virtual open day content, and prospective families can also be offered tours, including pupil-led tours referenced in school documentation. For up-to-date dates, the school website remains the most reliable source, as open morning schedules vary year to year.

The school’s safeguarding culture is positioned as everyone’s responsibility, with an explicit designated safeguarding lead team and a Team Around the Child approach described on the school’s safeguarding information.

Support is structured, not improvised. The SEND information report sets out how needs are identified, how support plans work, and how parents are involved. Practical mechanisms include a “worry box” in each class and regular reminders about trusted adults, alongside targeted plans for learning and wellbeing where appropriate.

If your child is likely to need additional support, one reassuring feature is the clarity around process: monitoring, meetings, plans, review cycles, and the expectation that provision should show impact. That tends to suit families who want transparency and agreed next steps, rather than informal “we’ll keep an eye on it” arrangements.

Extracurricular life is well developed and unusually specific, with clear practical rules that make it easier to plan as a family. The school aims to run clubs every evening after school, with a mix of school-led and externally provided options. School-led clubs are capped at two per child to widen access; places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis via an interest form.

The club menu includes named activities such as chess, art, swimming (Flipper Swimming Club), football, gymnastics, karate, volleyball, musical theatre and street dance. A small but useful detail is cost transparency: Wray Common-led clubs are listed at £3 per session, with music clubs varying, and financial support available for eligible families to subsidise external clubs and offer school-led clubs free.

Facilities add real texture. The school site includes a heated swimming pool described as 15.2m wide and up to 1.2m deep, and the school works with external providers for lessons and crash courses across the year, including summer months. That is a differentiator in a primary context, because it can turn swimming from an occasional unit into a more continuous skill.

Wraparound care is available but externally run, branded as Wray Common Rangers, with bookings handled outside the school. For families relying on wraparound, that is neither a negative nor a positive on its own, but it does mean you need to check availability and booking timelines early.

The school day is clearly set out. Pupils can enter playgrounds from 8:30am; registration runs 8:40am to 8:50am. Finish times differ by phase, with Key Stage 1 finishing at 3:05pm and Key Stage 2 at 3:20pm.

For travel, Reigate’s rail links make the area workable for commuting families, and local roads around Wray Common can be busy at peak drop-off and pick-up times. If you are considering walking routes, timing matters, because oversubscription pressures tend to correlate with short-distance families.

• Oversubscription pressure. Demand is high, with 249 applications for 60 Reception offers in the latest dataset. If your address is marginal for priority by distance, it is sensible to build a Plan B early.

• Different finish times by key stage. Key Stage 1 finishes at 3:05pm and Key Stage 2 at 3:20pm, which can complicate pick-up logistics for siblings across phases.

• Clubs are structured and competitive. School-led clubs are capped at two per child, and allocation is first-come, first-served. Some families will love the clarity; others may find it requires fast responses each term.

• Wraparound care is externally run. Breakfast and after-school provision exists, but it is managed by an external provider, so availability and booking processes sit outside the school’s admin systems.

Strong KS2 outcomes, stable leadership, and a well-defined school culture make this a compelling option for families who want high academic expectations without sacrificing wider development. The swimming infrastructure and the formalised pupil leadership roles add real distinctiveness.

Best suited to children who respond well to clear routines, explicit expectations, and active participation in learning, especially those who enjoy taking responsibility. Securing a place is the limiting factor, so families should treat admissions planning as a project rather than an afterthought.