Ketton Church of England Primary School Review 2026, High attainment, faith-led values, village primary with wraparound care

This is a village primary with an unusually strong outcomes profile for its size, and a clear emphasis on behaviour, relationships, and character. In 2024, almost all pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, with a high proportion working at greater depth. That combination, high attainment plus strong depth, puts the school well above the England benchmark.

The school is part of The Rutland Learning Trust and serves families in and around Ketton, close to Stamford and the Lincolnshire border. As a Church of England school, daily worship and a Christian values framework are built into routines, while the published ethos also stresses inclusion for families of different backgrounds.

The tone here is purposeful, warm, and strongly values-led. The school sets out four core Christian values, honesty, kindness, unselfishness, and forgiveness, and links these to its “Ketton Citizen” idea, which is essentially a shared language for how pupils treat each other and how they learn. The practical implication is that expectations are not left to guesswork, pupils are given a consistent vocabulary for respect, safety, and responsibility, which matters in a mixed-age primary where social dynamics shift quickly year to year.

The most recent inspection evidence describes pupils as feeling safe and happy, and highlights positive relationships between pupils and staff. It also references a dedicated space, described as the “den”, where pupils can access help from staff when they need it. This is a useful signal for parents who want academic stretch without a hard-edged culture, because it indicates a deliberate approach to emotional regulation and early intervention rather than leaving worries to escalate.

Leadership information is worth reading carefully because public pages show a transition. The published staff list for 2025 to 2026 names Mrs Hazel Glassford as Interim Headteacher. The same staff list also identifies safeguarding leadership roles, and the safeguarding page notes that Hazel Glassford is the Designated Safeguarding Lead from August 2025. Older pages and the March 2023 inspection report reflect the previous headship position at that time. For families, the practical question is continuity: the evidence base for strong outcomes and curriculum design is clear, while the on-the-ground leadership structure has recently changed.

Ketton’s performance profile is its headline feature. In 2024, 97% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 38% achieved greater depth across reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%. Reading, maths and grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled scores are also high (108, 109 and 110 respectively), which indicates strength in core knowledge as well as in applied writing.

Rankings reinforce that story. Based on FindMySchool’s proprietary ranking using official outcomes data, the school is ranked 876th in England for primary performance and 1st in the Stamford local area, which places it well above the England average and within the top 10% of schools in England.

The key implication for parents is twofold. First, day-to-day teaching in reading, writing and maths appears highly consistent, because you do not usually see this combination of near-universal expected standard plus strong higher standard without dependable classroom practice. Second, the cohort-to-cohort risk remains, as it does in any primary, because small numbers can make year groups swing. The historic pattern matters more than a single year, but the 2024 picture is clearly strong.

Teaching is described in official evidence as ambitious and well sequenced, with careful planning from the early years so that pupils build knowledge logically. That “sequence” point is not just jargon, it typically shows up as clearer progression in vocabulary and methods, fewer gaps between year groups, and less reliance on last-minute revision in Year 6.

Early reading looks structured. The school’s Reception transition information states that it uses Read Write Inc as its phonics scheme. In the inspection report, phonics teaching is described as daily, with regular assessment and targeted intervention for pupils who fall behind. The practical implication for families is that weaker early readers are likely to be picked up quickly, which helps later comprehension and writing.

Writing is a clear strength in the inspection narrative, with daily handwriting and grammar sessions and precise feedback. For parents, the important distinction is between schools that produce fluent writers because they have a coherent approach to sentence work, vocabulary, and editing, and schools that rely on occasional “big write” tasks. The described model here is closer to the first, with frequent practice and explicit technique. Maths is also identified as a particular strength, including in Reception, which aligns with the strong scaled scores and high attainment in maths.

As a Rutland primary close to Stamford, families typically have a wider-than-average set of secondary options across county lines. In practice, decisions often reflect a mix of travel time, friendship groups, and whether families are seeking a selective route, a comprehensive route, or a faith-based setting. The school’s results suggest pupils are academically well prepared for any of those pathways.

The strongest indicator for transition readiness is not just Year 6 outcomes, but the habits behind them. The inspection report highlights Year 6 pupils acting as reading buddies for younger pupils, which is a small detail with a big implication: it suggests older pupils are coached to take responsibility and to articulate what makes reading successful. That sort of leadership experience tends to make the move to Year 7 less daunting.

Parents shortlisting secondaries should treat travel patterns as a practical constraint. Ketton is a village setting, so transport logistics can matter as much as school preference. If you are using FindMySchool tools, the Map Search is a sensible way to compare realistic commute distances alongside admissions criteria when building a shortlist.

Admissions are coordinated through Rutland County Council for families living in Rutland, with families outside Rutland applying via their home local authority. For September 2026 entry, the school’s published admissions information states the on-time application deadline is 15 January 2026, with the national primary offer date of 16 April 2026. The same page sets out the normal-round appeals timetable, including the closing date for on-time appeals (23 May 2026) and the hearing window (16 June 2026 to 4 September 2026).

Demand data indicates a competitive picture for Reception entry in the most recent dataset: 51 applications for 24 offers, described as oversubscribed, which equates to just over two applications per place. In a context like Rutland, where cohorts can be small and village demand can spike as new housing or local preference shifts, parents should avoid assuming that “village school” automatically means easy entry.

A practical approach is to treat admissions as a project with deadlines. Confirm the correct local authority route early, keep evidence and supplementary forms (if any) organised, and use FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tools to look at nearby primaries as contingency options, not as second choices in name only.

Pastoral support is a clear feature of the documented provision. The inspection report presents the school as caring, with pupils reporting that bullying is rare and that staff handle concerns effectively when they arise. It also references the “den” as a place pupils can go for help, which suggests structured support rather than ad hoc reassurance.

Safeguarding information on the school website is detailed and updated, including named safeguarding leads and a statement that Hazel Glassford has been the Designated Safeguarding Lead from August 2025. Separately, the March 2023 inspection report states that safeguarding arrangements were effective at that point in time.

For balance, parents should note that the inspection report also flags playtime behaviour as an area to tighten, specifically “rough play” at break and lunchtime. The implication is not that the culture is unsafe, but that behaviour consistency can be more variable outside structured lessons, which is common in busy primary settings and worth probing on a tour.

Clubs and enrichment matter here because the academic outcomes are already strong, so the differentiator becomes whether pupils are also developing confidence, friendships, and interests. The March 2023 inspection report notes a range of clubs, explicitly naming football, netball, mindfulness club and drama club, and adds that many pupils take up these opportunities. That breadth is important in a primary, because it reduces the risk that “the sporty children” or “the confident children” get all the enrichment.

Wraparound care is also used as an enrichment channel rather than just childcare. The school’s KREW Club page sets out breakfast and after-school session times and shows a programme that includes activities such as choir, knitting, journalism, gardening, art, and construction. The practical implication for working families is that wraparound care can also become a consistent social space, which helps children who find busy transitions difficult.

The other benefit of a structured club culture is character formation. A Church of England school can sometimes be misunderstood as only about worship; in practice, the best faith schools use values as a framework for service, kindness, and responsibility. A mix of sports teams, mindfulness, creative clubs, and leadership roles like reading buddies fits that wider view of development.

The school day runs from 8:50am to 3:20pm, with Early Years finishing at 3:15pm. Doors open from 8:40am to support a calmer start. The same page notes a 32 hours 30 minutes school week, with break and lunch staggered due to space limitations.

Wraparound care is clearly defined. Breakfast club runs 7:45am to 8:50am and after-school provision runs 3:20pm to 5:30pm via the KREW Club.

Ketton’s proximity to Stamford and the Lincolnshire border is part of the school’s practical reality. Some families will be local walkers, others will be driving in from nearby areas. If transport time is a constraint, build it into your shortlist early rather than treating it as a later detail.

• Competition for places. The most recent demand data shows more than two applications per place for Reception entry. If you are outside the immediate local pattern, have a realistic Plan B and keep your application route clear.

• Leadership transition. The published 2025 to 2026 staff list identifies an Interim Headteacher, and the safeguarding page shows updated named roles from August 2025. For some families, leadership stability matters as much as outcomes, so ask how continuity is being maintained.

• Playtime behaviour consistency. The latest graded inspection highlights strong behaviour in lessons, alongside a need to improve “rough play” at break and lunchtime. Ask what has changed in supervision, routines, and play structures since then.

• Faith character is meaningful. Daily worship, a Christian vision, and links with local churches are part of school life. Families of other faiths, or none, often feel comfortable in Church of England schools, but it is still wise to confirm how collective worship works in practice and how inclusive it feels for your child.

Ketton Church of England Primary School combines high academic outcomes with a clear values framework and practical wraparound care, which is an attractive mix for many village and commuter families. It suits pupils who respond well to clear expectations, structured teaching in reading, writing and maths, and a community culture shaped by Christian values. The main limiting factor is admission, because demand appears strong and places are finite.