St Martin’s CofE Primary School, Salisbury, Review 2026

There are no phase specific performance figures provided for Key Stage 2, so this review cannot responsibly cite outcomes such as expected standard rates or scaled scores.

Instead, the best evidence to use is the quality of education narrative in the latest graded inspection and the subsequent monitoring visit, because these speak directly to what teaching and learning looked like at that point, and what leaders were doing to improve it.

The January 2023 inspection described a curriculum that was not sequenced well enough, with pupils developing gaps in knowledge across subjects, and weaknesses in assessment practice that meant misconceptions persisted. Early reading was a central concern, with too many children not receiving well matched books and insufficient support to catch up.

The November 2023 monitoring visit indicated that leaders had started the work of putting a broader, more ambitious curriculum in place, and had raised expectations for early reading, including improved resources and initial staff development. The key point, though, was that changes were still too new to show full impact at that stage.

The school publishes a clear structure for the day that helps parents understand how learning time is used. Gates open at 8:40am, the register closes at 8:50am, and the day runs through phonics or reading, English, maths, and afternoon curriculum subjects, with collective worship before home time at 3:10pm.

In early reading, the school states it uses Essential Letters and Sounds for phonics in Early Years and Year 1, with Year 2 included where appropriate. That kind of scheme based approach is often used to bring consistency, especially when a school is tightening practice after a period of weaker outcomes.

In maths, the published approach leans on fluency first, with regular opportunities for problem solving. Again, what matters for parents is consistency across classes, and whether assessment is used sharply enough to pick up gaps early, because that was a specific weakness in the inspection evidence.

For pupils with SEND, the inspection evidence pointed to historically low expectations and support plans that lacked precision. The monitoring visit then described work beginning to identify needs and starting points more accurately, involving parents and using external expertise where required.

As a Salisbury primary, pupils will typically move on to local secondary schools in the city and surrounding area. The best next step for families is to align likely options with your home address and Wiltshire’s admissions criteria, because transition patterns can vary year to year depending on cohort demand.

What the school does explicitly set out is how it inducts new children into Reception. Children usually move to full time by the third week, and the summer term is used for taster sessions including stay and play, lunch, and story time in the library. Early Years staff also visit children in their pre school settings, and the school may offer home visits as part of induction.

Admissions are coordinated through the local authority for Reception entry, and the school notes that applications are typically due by mid January for a September start. Wiltshire’s published information for September 2026 primary places confirms a deadline of 15 January 2026, with the primary offer day shown as 16 April 2026.

The school states a maximum capacity of 210 pupils and up to 30 places in Reception each year, with oversubscription handled through published criteria.

Local demand suggests the school is oversubscribed at primary entry. There were 23 applications for 14 offers, which equates to roughly 1.64 applications per place offered in that year’s data. This indicates competition, though not at the extreme levels seen in some urban primaries.

In-year admissions are possible if places exist, with applications made via Wiltshire.

Parents who are shortlisting should use the FindMySchool Map Search to sense check practical distance and routes to school, then confirm criteria and deadlines through Wiltshire before relying on a place.

Wellbeing is a mixed picture in the evidence, in a way that is quite typical of schools in improvement. Pupils were described as feeling safe and supported by adults, and the school’s safeguarding arrangements were found to be effective at the time of the graded inspection.

The inspection also linked some low level disruption to work not being pitched well enough, which is an important nuance for parents. In primary schools, behaviour is often as much about lesson design and routines as it is about sanctions.

Attendance was flagged as a longstanding weakness in the graded inspection. The monitoring visit later described effective systems being put in place to improve attendance, with governors maintaining oversight and challenge around persistent absence.

The school describes a termly club offer that can include cookery and chess, alongside practical and creative options.

The personal development programme is presented with concrete examples rather than generic claims. Items referenced include Dogs Trust safety visits, museum linked workshops, themed PSHE days such as Safer Internet Day, and targeted support such as a Coping Cats workshop for Year 5 delivered via the local mental health support team.

There is also evidence of pupil leadership in the inspection report, including older pupils acting as Young Leaders to support play at social times. For parents of quieter children, that kind of structured peer role can make break times feel safer and more inclusive.

The published day structure is unusually detailed for a primary, and helpful for working families. Gates open at 8:40am, the register closes at 8:50am, and home time is 3:10pm.

The school indicates breakfast club and after school club exist, but the wraparound page itself is light on specifics, so families should confirm session patterns directly with the school.

Term dates are aligned to Wiltshire’s calendar, with additional staff development closure days listed on the school site.

• An Inadequate judgement with special measures is a serious signal. The latest graded inspection (January 2023) identified deep weaknesses in curriculum, early reading, assessment, and governance oversight. A monitoring visit in late 2023 described early progress, but also confirmed more work was still needed.

• Improvement work may look different across classes while systems bed in. When a school is rebuilding curriculum sequencing and tightening assessment, consistency can take time, particularly in foundation subjects and early reading.

• Oversubscription exists, even with a relatively small cohort. The most recent results shows more applications than offers at primary entry. If you are planning a Reception place, treat admissions as a process to manage rather than a certainty.

• Christian worship and values are part of the school’s day. For many families this will feel normal and welcoming, but those wanting a fully secular experience should consider fit carefully.

St Martin’s is a school in the middle of a clear improvement programme: relationships and safeguarding are strengths in the evidence, while curriculum quality, early reading, and leadership impact are the areas that must be proven over time.

It suits families who want a small Salisbury primary with a Christian character, who value a diverse community, and who will actively engage with the school about progress, expectations, and support. The limiting factor is confidence in trajectory, and parents should use visits and up to date monitoring information to judge how far improvement has embedded since the last published evidence.