The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
This is a big, established primary serving the Burleigh Hill Estate area of St Ives, with nursery-age provision on the same site and an age range that takes families from preschool through to Year 6. The school is led by Mrs Emma Verney-Davies, with Mrs Gemma Edwards as deputy headteacher. The most recent Ofsted inspection (5 November 2024) judged all key areas as Good, including early years provision.
Academically, the published Key Stage 2 data paints a mixed but generally steady picture. In 2024, 63.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, slightly above the England average of 62%. Higher standard outcomes are a clearer strength, 17.33% reached the higher standard compared with an England average of 8%. Reading scaled score (105) and mathematics (102) sit above typical benchmarks, with grammar, punctuation and spelling at 103.
Admissions pressure is real. Reception entry is coordinated by Cambridgeshire, and the figures indicate 68 applications for 30 offers in the most recent cycle captured, which equates to 2.27 applications per place and an oversubscribed status. For families considering 2026 entry, the county’s published timetable sets the on-time application window from 11 September 2025 to 15 January 2026, with national offer day on 16 April 2026.
Wheatfields presents itself as a friendly, inclusive school with clear expectations and a deliberate emphasis on behaviour and attitudes to learning. The headteacher’s welcome message leans heavily into curiosity, questioning, independence, responsibility, and respectful relationships, which gives a useful clue as to how the school wants pupils to experience daily life.
The most recent external picture aligns with that intent. The school talks explicitly about values and learning behaviours (including resilience and reflection), and the tone across its public materials is consistent, it expects pupils to manage routines, take responsibility, and engage positively with adults and peers.
Size matters here. With a capacity of 420, Wheatfields is designed for a larger intake than many village primaries. In practical terms, that usually brings advantages parents notice quickly, more peer variety within a year group, greater flexibility for interventions and support, and more scope to run clubs and wraparound at meaningful scale. The trade-off is that it will not feel like a small, “everybody knows everybody” setting, although strong leadership and consistent routines can offset that for many families.
Unlike schools where early years are physically or organisationally separate, Wheatfields’ preschool operates on the school site and is positioned as a gateway into Reception for many families. The published description of the preschool highlights practical, parent-facing features such as a wheelchair-accessible building, two playrooms, outdoor space, and access to forest school.
A key point for parents is that the preschool day runs on school-day style hours (weekday daytime sessions) rather than a fully extended childcare model, and it is explicitly framed as preparation for Reception in the year a child turns five. Funding information is signposted for eligible families, but specific preschool fee figures should be checked on the school’s own pages rather than relied on second-hand summaries.
For a state primary, the most useful lens is Key Stage 2, because it gives the clearest published outcome snapshot at the end of Year 6.
In the 2024 results:
Expected standard (reading, writing, maths combined): 63.67%, compared with an England average of 62%.
Higher standard: 17.33%, compared with an England average of 8%.
Scaled scores: reading 105, maths 102, grammar, punctuation and spelling 103.
The headline here is consistency rather than extremes. Expected-standard attainment is slightly above England; higher-standard attainment is meaningfully above England, which tends to suggest that higher prior attainers are being stretched effectively, even if the whole-cohort picture is closer to average.
The FindMySchool primary ranking places Wheatfields at 10,962nd in England, and 5th locally in the St Ives area grouping. That ranking translates to below England average in overall positioning (within the bottom 40% band), even though the school’s 2024 expected-standard figure sits slightly above the England average. This apparent tension is common in scaled ranking systems, because rankings often reflect multiple measures and relative performance across thousands of schools rather than a single headline.
For parents comparing options, the practical takeaway is this: outcomes appear broadly steady, with stronger signs at the higher standard; it is worth using FindMySchool’s local comparison tools to set Wheatfields alongside nearby primaries on the measures that matter most to your child (expected standard, higher standard, and scaled scores).
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
Reading, Writing & Maths
63.67%
% of pupils achieving expected standard
The school’s published messaging places “lifelong learning”, curiosity, and questioning at the centre, which usually translates into a curriculum that emphasises vocabulary, structured knowledge-building, and talk.
In early years, the preschool description and EYFS materials indicate a play-based approach with regular outdoor time, routines around snack, story, and exploration, and an emphasis on learning through the environment.
A sensible way to interpret the results profile is that teaching is doing two jobs at once. First, securing baseline literacy and numeracy so the expected standard stays around, or slightly above, England. Second, pushing higher prior attainers so that higher-standard outcomes stand out more clearly. For families, that tends to feel like a setting where structure matters, routines are taught, and children are expected to work independently as they move through Key Stage 2.
Wheatfields identifies St Ivo School as a linked school, which is the most direct clue about the common transition route for Year 6 leavers.
In practice, families should still treat secondary transfer as its own decision. Catchment patterns, sibling links, and admissions criteria vary, and the “default” destination for many pupils does not guarantee a place for any individual child. If you are planning several years ahead, it is worth checking Cambridgeshire’s current secondary admissions arrangements alongside your address and likely travel routes.
Reception places are coordinated through Cambridgeshire’s admissions process. The county’s published primary admissions guide for 2026 entry sets these key dates: applications open from 11 September 2025, national closing date 15 January 2026, and national offer date 16 April 2026.
The school’s own admissions page encourages prospective parents to visit for a guided tour, and notes that tours have historically been concentrated in the autumn term, with additional visits available by contacting the school directly. For parents planning ahead, the safe assumption is that open events and tours often cluster in the autumn term ahead of the January deadline, but exact dates can shift year to year.
The figures indicate 68 applications and 30 offers for the most recent captured Reception admissions cycle, with an oversubscribed status and 2.27 applications per place applications per place. That is strong demand by primary standards, and it means families should plan for the realistic possibility of not receiving an offer if they are outside priority criteria.
If you are relying on distance, use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check the practical reality of your home-to-school distance, and treat it as one input rather than a guarantee. Distance cut-offs change year to year depending on where applicants live.
The Cambridgeshire process also covers in-year admissions (moving during the school year). If you are relocating to St Ives or changing schools mid-year, the key practical step is to follow the local authority’s in-year route and ask the school about year-group capacity.
100%
1st preference success rate
30 of 30 first-choice applicants received an offer
Places
30
Offers
30
Applications
68
The most consistent signals here are about expectations and routines. The school talks openly about behaviour, responsibility, and respect, and its public-facing information includes safeguarding resources and parent guidance.
The 5 November 2024 Ofsted inspection judged behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision as Good, which supports the view of a school with consistent systems rather than reactive firefighting.
For parents, the practical question is less about whether the school “has” pastoral care, and more about how it is delivered at scale. In larger primaries, consistency typically depends on clearly defined routines, strong staff training, and predictable approaches to behaviour. Wheatfields’ published messaging suggests it takes that consistency seriously.
One of Wheatfields’ strengths, simply because of its size and site, is that it can offer structured clubs and wraparound rather than relying on ad hoc provision.
The after-school club programme is published term by term. In the first half of spring term 2026, the school lists clubs including Dodgeball (Key Stage 2), Football (Key Stage 2), Ninja Kids Club (Years 1 to 3), and guitar lessons.
This matters because it shows two different kinds of enrichment:
Sport and physical activity, with age-phased opportunities rather than one-size-fits-all.
Music tuition, which is often where children discover a genuine long-term interest, but only if the logistics are easy for families.
Wheatfields Kids Club is presented as a before-and-after-school club operating on site, built around supervised free play and structured activities, with outdoor equipment used when weather allows. Its published term-time opening times are 7.30am to 8.40am and 3.15pm to 6.00pm, with capacity stated as 60 children in term time.
For working families, that detail is not a marketing extra, it is the difference between a school being logistically viable or not. It also suggests the school understands that wraparound is part of the core offer for many households, not an optional bolt-on.
The school’s PTA, Parents at Wheatfields School (PAWS), is a registered charity and positions itself as a community connector and fundraiser for pupil experiences.
For parents who like to be involved, the PTA structure can be a genuine positive, not because it replaces core funding, but because it can add “extras” that make a large school feel more connected.
All year groups follow the same school day timings. Classroom doors open at 8.40am, doors close at 8.45am for registration, and the day finishes at 3.15pm, with 32.5 hours per week stated in the school’s published information.
Wraparound: Kids Club provides before-school and after-school care on site, with published hours and capacity.
Preschool: Operates on the school site and is presented as the entry point from age three, with daytime sessions and an emphasis on preparation for Reception. Funding information is available via Cambridgeshire’s early years guidance for eligible families.
The school sits in St Ives, serving local families in the surrounding residential areas. In practical terms, many families will find walking and cycling plausible depending on where they live, while others will rely on a short car journey. If you are weighing transport, consider the school day finish time (3.15pm) alongside your wraparound plan, because that is where the real-life feasibility is decided.
Competition for Reception places. The figures indicate an oversubscribed profile with 2.27 applications per place in the most recent captured cycle. Families should apply with a realistic view of priority criteria and back-up preferences.
Outcomes profile is steady rather than headline-grabbing. Expected-standard attainment is slightly above England, but the FindMySchool England ranking sits in the below-average band. This can still be a good fit for many children, but it makes like-for-like comparisons locally important.
Large-school feel. With a capacity of 420, this will suit children who enjoy a bigger peer group and varied clubs, but some families prefer a smaller setting with a more intimate atmosphere.
Preschool costs and availability. The preschool is an attractive on-site option, but parents should confirm session availability, funding eligibility, and the current fee structure directly via the school’s official pages before making assumptions.
Wheatfields Primary School is a sizeable, well-organised local primary with a clear behavioural and learning culture, dependable inspection outcomes, and unusually explicit wraparound detail for a school of its type. Academic outcomes suggest a steady overall picture with stronger signs among higher attainers, and admissions demand means planning matters.
Who it suits: families who want a structured, community-focused school with on-site early years and practical wraparound, and children who are likely to thrive in a larger primary where routines and expectations are consistent.
The most recent Ofsted inspection (5 November 2024) judged key areas as Good, including quality of education and early years. 2024 Key Stage 2 results, 63.67% met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, slightly above the England average of 62%, with higher-standard outcomes notably stronger than England.
Reception admissions are coordinated by Cambridgeshire. For September 2026 entry, the published timetable sets applications opening from 11 September 2025, closing on 15 January 2026, with offers on 16 April 2026. Families should also check the school’s own tours and visit arrangements, as open events often run in the autumn term ahead of the January deadline.
The figures indicate the Reception entry route was oversubscribed in the most recent captured cycle, with 68 applications and 30 offers, which is 2.27 applications per place. Oversubscription levels can change year to year, so families should use all available preferences and review current local authority criteria.
The published school day runs with classroom doors opening at 8.40am, registration at 8.45am, and finishing at 3.15pm. The school states 32.5 hours per week in total.
Yes. The on-site Kids Club offers before-school and after-school care with published term-time opening times, and it is designed as a familiar setting where pupils can play, relax, and take part in structured activities after the school day.
Get in touch with the school directly
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Information on this page is compiled, analysed, and processed from publicly available sources including the Department for Education (DfE), Ofsted, the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and official school websites.
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