St Francis CofE Primary School

A relatively new Church of England primary in Taw Hill, North Swindon, St Francis opened in September 2004 and has grown into a two-form entry school serving pupils from Nursery through Year 6.

This is a school that puts relationships and routine front and centre. Children talk openly about values, staff set clear expectations from the early years, and pupils are trusted with responsibilities such as play rangers and house roles.

Academically, outcomes now sit above the national midpoint on the headline ranking measure, with current data showing 70% meeting the combined expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 10% reaching the higher standard, and solid scaled scores across reading, maths and GPS.

St Francis describes children as “a gift from God”, and that faith framing is more than a line on a website. The admissions policy is explicit about Christian foundations and community focus, and the school’s stated strapline centres on love for God, each other, learning, and the world.

Day to day, culture shows up through routines that begin in Nursery and carry through the school. Behaviour systems are designed to be understood by children, with rewards linked to effort and conduct, and pupils can explain the rules and why they matter. Staff build positive relationships that make it easier for children to ask for help early, which is often the difference between small worries staying small, or escalating.

Pupil leadership is a visible thread. Roles such as house captains, assembly monitors and play rangers are used as confidence-builders rather than just badges, giving children structured chances to practise responsibility in low-stakes ways.

Nursery provision is part of the school’s identity, but it is important for families to understand that Nursery attendance does not automatically translate into a Reception place.

The school’s primary outcomes and rankings are presented here using FindMySchool’s proprietary rankings based on official data.

Rankings context

Ranked 5,467th in England and 22nd in Swindon for overall primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), St Francis sits above the national midpoint on this comparative measure. In plain English, this places outcomes in a more secure position than the previous lower-band wording suggested.

What the 2024-style headline measures suggest

At Key Stage 2, 70% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined. That is a positive headline for families weighing up whether the school is keeping up academically.

At the higher standard, 10% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and maths. This matters because greater depth tends to reflect depth of understanding rather than surface performance, and it often correlates with how well pupils are prepared for more demanding Key Stage 3 content later.

Scaled scores and subject indicators

• Reading scaled score: 104

• Maths scaled score: 103

• GPS scaled score: 104

Those scores indicate attainment above the baseline of 100 in each tested area, with reading and GPS a touch stronger than maths in this snapshot.

The practical takeaway is that the school’s overall ranking position does not tell the whole story. Outcomes show a meaningful group of higher attainers, and the reading foundations look secure, which tends to be the lever that lifts performance across the curriculum over time.

The curriculum is described in official reporting as broad and ambitious, with clarity about what pupils should learn and when. In practice, that structure shows up most strongly in early reading and mathematics.

Reading as a priority

Reading is positioned as a whole-school focus, not confined to English lessons. Pupils read a range of texts with growing fluency, and books are matched to the sounds pupils are learning, which is a key ingredient in successful phonics-to-fluency progression. The implication for families is straightforward: children who learn to decode confidently in the early years typically find it easier to access every other subject, from word problems in maths to explanations in science and history.

Mathematics with clear modelling

Mathematics teaching is described as concept-led, with explicit modelling of vocabulary from early years upwards. The example given of older pupils applying knowledge to line graphs suggests the school aims to build cumulative understanding rather than isolated tricks.

Wider curriculum development

A clear improvement area is how assessment is used in some wider curriculum subjects. Where assessment is not yet consistently strong, some pupils can end up with gaps that make later learning harder, with computing mentioned as an example where recall of earlier learning varies between pupils. For parents, this is less about “results” and more about consistency, the school is signalling that some foundation work is still being embedded in a small number of subjects.

Support for pupils with SEND

Systems for identifying and supporting pupils with SEND are described as effective, with individual support plans that are routinely reviewed and learning adapted so most pupils progress well.

As a primary school, St Francis is focused on preparing pupils for a successful transition into Year 7, academically and socially.

Swindon families typically move on to a range of local secondaries depending on address and preferences, and the most useful planning step is to look at the Local Authority’s admissions information alongside the school’s own advice as your child approaches Year 6.

Within school life, responsibility roles and structured routines are doing some of the heavy lifting for transition readiness. Children who have practised being play rangers, assembly monitors, or house captains are often better prepared for the bigger social environment of secondary school, because they have already had to manage expectations, follow systems, and speak up when something is not right.

Admissions sit across two pathways, Reception and Nursery, and they work differently.

Reception entry (September 2027)

St Francis is a voluntary aided Church of England school, and it follows Swindon’s coordinated admissions scheme for Reception places for September 2026.

Key practical points for September 2026 entry:

• The Local Authority's on-time application deadline is 15 January 2027.

• Offers to Swindon residents are made on 16 April 2027, with acceptance by 30 April 2027 under the coordinated scheme timetable.

• If you want to be considered for a church place, a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) must be submitted to the school by 15 January 2026.

• Published Admission Number (PAN) for Reception in 2026 is 60.

Oversubscription criteria blend standard priorities (looked-after children, siblings) with faith-based places and distance-based places, with a defined tie-break process if needed.

Demand data indicates a competitive picture in the primary entry route: 82 applications for 46 offers, 1.78 applications per place, and an oversubscribed status. The implication is that families should treat entry as uncertain unless they are comfortably within priority categories, and should keep a realistic second preference on the Local Authority form.

Nursery entry (September 2026)

Nursery admissions are handled separately from Reception. The school’s admissions information states that applications for a Nursery place for September 2026 close on 31 March 2026, with families informed during April.

The key caveat is essential: children who attend the Nursery do not automatically receive a place in the main school.

The pastoral model here leans on consistency: clear rules, predictable routines, and adults who children feel will listen. When pupils say adults are kind and willing to listen, that usually correlates with better disclosure and earlier intervention, which is exactly what families want in a primary setting.

Safeguarding is treated as a baseline expectation rather than a selling point, but it still matters to state the official position clearly. The latest Ofsted inspection (19 and 20 March 2024) judged the school Good overall, with Good in quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.

A second point of reassurance is explicit: the inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Pupils describe there being “something for everyone”, and the enrichment offer backs that up with a mix of sport, practical skills, and creative opportunities.

The school’s clubs programme rotates by term. Named examples from the school’s own clubs listing include:

• St Francis Fencing Club (morning club)

• St Francis Debate Club (Year 5, with an inter-schools debating competition referenced)

• St Francis Singing Club (including performance preparation linked to the Make a Noise Festival)

• St Francis Happy Fit Club (Reception)

In addition, clubs and sporting opportunities referenced in official reporting include football, gardening, and cooking, which is a useful mix for pupils whose confidence grows through doing, not just performing on stage or on a pitch.

Parent community support also has a formal structure via the PTA group, which organises events across the year.

The school day timings are clearly set out: for Reception to Year 6, the bell is at 8:47am with lessons starting at 8:55am, and the day finishes at 3:15pm. Nursery sessions are listed as 8:30am to 11:30am (morning) and 12:20pm to 3:20pm (afternoon).

Wraparound care is available on site through Funrise. Published hours are 7:30am to 9:00am and 3:20pm to 6:00pm in term time, and 8:00am to 5:30pm during school holidays.

For families comparing options, FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for sanity-checking travel practicality at drop-off and pick-up times, especially if you are weighing a longer commute against a strong pastoral fit.

• Results are mixed depending on the measure. Headline outcomes include strengths, including a higher-than-average greater depth figure, but the school’s overall ranking position sits below England average. Families should look beyond a single number and ask how the school supports children who need to catch up, as well as those ready to be stretched.

• Faith places require extra paperwork. If you are aiming for a church place for September 2027 entry, you will need to complete the Supplementary Information Form by 15 January 2027. Missing that deadline changes how your application is considered.

• Some wider-subject assessment is still being embedded. Computing is highlighted as an area where recall of earlier learning is inconsistent for some pupils, and the school is still tightening how assessment checks long-term learning in a small number of foundation subjects.

• Nursery does not guarantee Reception. This is an easy assumption to make, and it is specifically ruled out in the admissions policy. Plan Reception applications separately and early.

St Francis CofE Primary School is a faith-shaped, community-facing primary with strong foundations in reading, clear routines, and a practical approach to pupil responsibility. Academic performance is better than a quick glance at ranking position suggests, with evidence of higher attainers and solid scaled scores.

Best suited to families who value a Church of England ethos, want on-site wraparound care, and are comfortable engaging actively with admissions paperwork and deadlines. The main barrier is simply access, primary demand data and oversubscription cues suggest you should apply with a realistic Plan B.