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.
Wantage Primary Academy is a newer state primary serving the Kingsgrove area of Wantage, with pupils from age 2 through Year 6. Opened in September 2020, it has scaled up quickly, with a planned capacity of 420 and an on-site nursery as part of the offer.
What stands out is the strength of the first full inspection. The latest Ofsted inspection (16 to 17 May 2023) judged the school Outstanding across every graded area, including early years provision.
For families, the practical headline is this: it is a no-fees primary with wraparound available, a longer-than-average core day, and admissions that already look competitive for Reception entry.
The school’s stated identity is encapsulated in its motto, Belong, Believe, Achieve, which is presented as a whole-school mission rather than a decorative slogan.
The latest Ofsted report describes a calm culture and high expectations, with pupils feeling safe and behaviour well established, even though the school was still growing year by year at the time.
Leadership is clear on the public-facing information. The Principal is Mrs Hannah Robinson-Jaques (also listed as Hannah Robinson on local authority and government records), and the school sits within Omnia Learning Trust.
A newer school can sometimes feel like it is still “finding its way”. Here, the evidence points the other direction: the early culture has been deliberately designed, with personal development, pupil leadership roles, and reading positioned as core priorities from the outset.
Because Wantage Primary Academy opened in September 2020, there is an important context point for parents interpreting published performance information. At the time of the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted notes there were no pupils in Years 5 or 6, which means statutory end of Key Stage 2 outcomes would not yet reflect a stable, established picture in the same way they do for long-running primaries.
That does not remove the need to scrutinise outcomes when they become available, but it changes what is most meaningful right now. In this case, the strongest public benchmark is inspection evidence about the quality of education, including early reading, mathematics, computing, and history as deep-dive subjects, plus the judgement profile (Outstanding across all areas).
For parents comparing local schools, the sensible approach is to treat the 2023 inspection as the key quality signal today, then revisit published attainment and progress measures as cohorts complete Year 6 in larger numbers. The school itself signposts parents to official performance tables for like-for-like comparisons.
Curriculum intent is text-led, with high-quality texts described as a central driver for topic engagement and vocabulary development.
In music, the school uses the Charanga Musical School programme to structure weekly lessons around listening and appraisal, practical musical activity, and performance. The implication for pupils is consistency, progression, and a shared musical language across year groups, rather than one-off “topic music” that varies widely by class.
Humanities is framed through a history and geography base, with explicit attention to local context as well as substantive knowledge. For children, that typically shows up as stronger recall, clearer sequencing, and an easier bridge from “topic work” to disciplined subject thinking by Key Stage 2.
The school day is also structured to protect curriculum breadth. The published timetable information sets compulsory hours at 8:40am to 3:30pm, presented as a deliberate choice to avoid trimming foundation subjects.
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
FMS Inspection Score calculated by FindMySchool based on official inspection data.
As a primary, the key transition question is Year 6 to Year 7. Wantage sits within Oxfordshire’s secondary landscape, where options can include local comprehensive schools and, depending on family preference and child profile, selective routes in some parts of the county. The school does not publish a definitive “destination list” for Year 7, and in practice secondary transfer is shaped primarily by home address, admissions criteria, and family choice within the local authority process.
A practical indicator worth noting from the inspection evidence is that personal development and pupil leadership are taken seriously at primary stage. Roles such as school councillors and eco-council membership give pupils repeated experience of responsibility and speaking up, which tends to support confidence in the Year 7 transition.
Reception admissions are coordinated through Oxfordshire County Council rather than directly by the school. For September 2026 entry, the published timeline shows applications opening on 4 November 2025 and the deadline for on-time applications as 15 January 2026. Oxfordshire also lists National Offer Day for primary places as 16 April 2026.
Demand already looks meaningful. The available admissions figures indicate 135 applications for 56 offers for the relevant Reception admissions cycle captured with the school described as oversubscribed.
Nursery admissions are a separate pathway. The school is explicit that a nursery place does not guarantee admission to Reception, and families still need to apply through the coordinated Reception route at the appropriate time.
Given the school’s growth story and its location within a major housing development, families should treat admissions as a planning exercise, not a last-minute decision. The most useful practical step is to read the school’s admissions arrangements alongside the local authority timeline for the relevant intake year.
Applications
135
Total received
Places Offered
56
Subscription Rate
2.4x
Apps per place
The school presents personal development as a structured curriculum strand, not an add-on, and links it to Belong, Believe, Achieve. For parents, that signals an emphasis on relationships, pupil voice, and safeguarding culture, rather than purely academic throughput.
Safeguarding is a core parental concern, particularly in a growing school where staffing expands quickly. Here, the most recent graded inspection states safeguarding arrangements are effective, and the report describes a strong safeguarding culture and attention to training and recruitment checks.
Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is also referenced in the inspection evidence, including early identification and precise support planning. The practical implication is that, for many children with mild to moderate needs, the school aims to intervene early and keep support integrated into daily classroom routines.
The school’s public information confirms breakfast club and after-school provision, and it also points parents toward enrichment clubs delivered through an external provider, with a stated intention to add more staff-led clubs over time.
For a newer primary, the distinctive enrichment often shows up less as long-standing “traditional clubs” and more as programmed experiences and roles that build quickly. The inspection evidence highlights pupil leadership structures, including eco-council and friendship ambassadors, plus a breadth of clubs. That matters because it creates multiple routes for children to feel known and valued, not only those who shine academically.
The same report references a cultural and community-facing programme that included collaboration with local artists and participation in larger-scale performances. Even allowing for the fact that individual opportunities vary by year group and cohort, it suggests the school is not operating as a narrow “core-only” curriculum model.
The published school day is: gates open at 8:30am, compulsory start at 8:40am, and finish at 3:30pm.
Breakfast club runs from 7:40am until the start of the school day at 8:40am.
After-school wraparound is offered in blocks from 3:30pm, including options that extend to 6:00pm, with booking handled through the external provider referenced on the school site.
Transport-wise, the school is positioned for local families in Wantage, particularly around the Kingsgrove development, so the practical reality for many households will be walking, scooters, and short car journeys at peak times rather than a rail commute.
A newer school means a shorter track record. Opened in September 2020, the school has established strong inspection evidence early on, but longer-run attainment and cohort trend data will naturally take time to build.
Reception places already look competitive. Available figures indicate oversubscription, so families should treat application deadlines seriously and read the admissions arrangements carefully.
Nursery does not feed automatically into Reception. A nursery place does not guarantee a main school place, which matters for childcare planning and expectations.
Wraparound depends on provider availability. Breakfast club is clearly described, and after-school care is offered via an external provider; parents who need specific days and times should confirm spaces early.
Wantage Primary Academy has achieved something that many new schools struggle to do: it has put down a clear culture quickly, backed by an Outstanding inspection profile and a curriculum narrative that protects breadth as well as core skills.
It suits families who want a modern, growing primary with nursery on site, a longer core day, and structured personal development through pupil leadership and community-facing opportunities. The main challenge is admissions, particularly for Reception, where demand already appears strong.
The most recent graded Ofsted inspection (May 2023) judged Wantage Primary Academy Outstanding overall, with Outstanding grades across quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.
This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. Families should still expect typical costs such as uniform, lunches, trips, and optional clubs or wraparound where applicable.
Reception applications are made through Oxfordshire County Council. For September 2026 entry, applications opened on 4 November 2025 and the deadline for on-time applications was 15 January 2026, with offers issued on 16 April 2026.
No. The published admissions arrangements state that nursery admission does not guarantee admission to the main primary phase, and families must still apply for Reception through the coordinated route.
Yes. Breakfast club runs from 7:40am to 8:40am, and after-school wraparound is offered in time blocks from 3:30pm, with options up to 6:00pm.
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