All Saints Church of England Primary School, Winchester Review 2026: A city school with a village feel, strong KS2 outcomes, and clear values

In east Winchester, close to the city’s historic core, All Saints has a reputation for feeling small, personal, and rooted in local life. It is a voluntary controlled Church of England primary serving ages 4 to 11, with a published capacity of 210 pupils. The most recent Ofsted inspection (7 to 8 November 2023, published 12 December 2023) confirmed the school continues to be Good, with safeguarding judged effective.

Academically, the data points to consistently above average performance. In 2024, 79% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, versus an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 29% reached the high standard in reading, writing and mathematics, well above the England average of 8%. On the FindMySchool ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 2,512th in England and 6th in Winchester for primary outcomes, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England.

Admission is competitive. For the Reception entry route, 43 applications were recorded for 24 offers, a ratio of 1.79 applications per place, and the school is classed as oversubscribed.

All Saints is explicit about the culture it wants to build. The school’s stated values are Love, Hope and Community, and the language appears across both day to day routines and longer-term curriculum intent. The behaviour framework is designed to be memorable for pupils, and the most recent inspection describes simple, effective systems that are well understood by staff and pupils alike.

The school’s history is unusually well documented on its own website. It first opened on 01 May 1893, built on church land, with a red brick building, tiled roofs, and large windows set under pointed arches. That heritage matters for parents because it usually correlates with two things: strong community continuity, and a site that has been adapted over time rather than designed as a one-size-fits-all modern block.

Leadership is stable and clearly visible. Mrs Jane Hall is the headteacher, and the school’s published governance information records her term as headteacher beginning on 16/09/2021. Governance information also points to a governing body with local education links, including staff working in Winchester schools, which tends to support coherent oversight and practical challenge.

The headline measure most families care about at primary is the combined reading, writing and mathematics expected standard at the end of Key Stage 2. In 2024, 79% of pupils met that expected standard, compared with an England average of 62%.

Where All Saints looks particularly convincing is at the top end. At the higher standard across reading, writing and mathematics combined, 29% achieved the higher standard, compared with an England average of 8%. That gap usually indicates two things happening at once: a solid core of pupils meeting baseline expectations, and meaningful stretch for higher prior attainers.

The scaled scores also look strong: reading 109, mathematics 105, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 109. (Scaled scores are a different lens from expected standards, but parents often find them helpful as a “how secure is learning” indicator, rather than a simple threshold pass rate.)

Rankings can help with local benchmarking if used carefully. All Saints is ranked 2,512th in England and 6th in Winchester for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), a position that aligns with being above the England average and comfortably within the top quarter nationally.

Parents comparing several Winchester primaries can use the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tool to view these measures side by side, rather than trying to reconcile different presentation formats across multiple sites.

The most recent inspection describes an ambitious curriculum with clear subject identity, including an emphasis on fieldwork in geography. For parents, that matters because “subject identity” tends to translate into coherent sequencing, consistent vocabulary, and pupils being able to explain what they know and how it links across a unit.

Reading sits at the centre of the curriculum. The inspection report describes reading as integral across subjects, with regular reading for pleasure alongside reading to support topic learning. For pupils who need additional support early on, phonics and targeted small-group or one-to-one work are described as well planned and well delivered.

One distinctive feature is the school’s “Learning Gems” approach, framed as building “learning power”. Rather than being a bolt-on reward chart, it is presented as a shared language for learning behaviours such as resilience, focus, collaboration, and independence. For example, the published framework includes “Diamond Power” for problem solving and independence, and “Emerald Power” for resilience and “bouncebackability”. The practical implication is that pupils get coached on how to learn, not only what to learn, which can be especially useful during the KS2 transition to more demanding content.

For most families, the real question at a primary is whether children are prepared socially and academically for the move to Year 7. The 2023 inspection report explicitly states pupils are well prepared for next steps, including strong information sharing between staff across year groups, and opportunities for responsibility that build confidence and maturity.

On the local authority “Find a school” listing, The Westgate School is shown as a linked school for All Saints, and linked school relationships sometimes matter for admissions priority depending on the receiving school’s policy. Families considering this route should read both schools’ admissions policies closely, because “linked” does not automatically mean guaranteed progression.

Beyond the formal transition, the curriculum’s use of local resources can strengthen children’s sense of place and confidence in unfamiliar settings. The inspection report references local learning experiences such as studying chalk streams and visits to Winchester’s museums and cathedral, which are the kinds of experiences that can widen vocabulary and background knowledge in ways that support reading comprehension and writing quality.

All Saints is a Hampshire state primary, so Reception admissions are run through the local authority coordinated process rather than direct selection by the school.

Demand is higher than supply on the available admissions data. For the Reception entry route, there were 43 applications for 24 offers recorded, with an oversubscription ratio of 1.79 applications per place. The last distance offered figure is not available here, so families should avoid assuming that proximity alone will be sufficient.

For September 2026 entry, Hampshire’s published main round dates for Starting School (Year R) are: applications open 01 November 2025, deadline 15 January 2026, and offer day 16 April 2026. The school’s own admissions page also hosts its admissions policy documents for 2026 to 2027.

Open days are best treated as patterns rather than one-off diary entries, because website pages often show dates for a cycle that has already passed. For Reception 2026 intake, the school listed tours in October and November (in 2025). If you are looking at a later entry year, expect a similar autumn rhythm and check the school calendar for the current year’s dates.

Practical tip: if you are weighing several oversubscribed Winchester primaries, use the FindMySchool Map Search to check travel time and practical daily logistics alongside academic measures. Even small differences in route safety and journey length can dominate family life over seven years.

The most recent inspection describes pupils feeling welcomed and well known, and highlights a purposeful atmosphere supported by clear expectations. Those are the building blocks of calm behaviour in primary settings, especially for mixed-intake community schools.

Support for pupils who need help regulating behaviour is described as tailored and useful, rather than punitive. That distinction matters. For parents of children who can struggle with attention, impulse control, or anxiety, a system that adapts support to the child tends to be more effective than a purely sanction-led approach.

Pupil leadership is part of the school’s pastoral model, not just a “nice to have”. The school describes active “pupil voice” mechanisms including School Council, leadership roles, and structured discussion techniques designed to build respectful debate.

All Saints puts real structure behind after-school provision, with both wraparound care and enrichment clubs.

For wraparound care, the Earlybirds breakfast club runs from 7:30am on school days in term time. After-school club sessions run 3:30pm to 5:00pm. For many working families, those hours are as important as the formal school day, and they also widen access to clubs beyond the families who can arrange ad hoc childcare.

Clubs are unusually well specified, with a published guide describing the programme. The list includes:

• Young Explorers, a journal-based club that rotates through science, history, geography and nature topics.

• Cookery, including recipes such as Thai green curry, baking, and fruit salad, with explicit teaching about where food comes from and how it is produced and stored.

• Chess (Year 2+), with in-house tournaments and opportunities to play volunteer helpers from Winchester College, plus participation in the Delancey Chess Championship.

• Art and Crafts, using materials such as paint, chalk, clay, ink and fabric pens, plus outdoor art in summer months.

• Construction, using Lego, K’Nex and den building outdoors when possible.

• Dance, including street dance, with prior participation in events at Theatre Royal via an Integr8 dance event.

The implication for parents is clear: this is not just “football and colouring in”. The programme includes genuine skills development, cross-curricular enrichment, and structured competition for pupils who enjoy that.

The school day starts at 8:55am and finishes at 3:30pm, with pupils arriving from 8:45am. The wraparound offer extends the usable day, with breakfast provision from 7:30am and after-school sessions to 5:00pm.

This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. Parents should still budget for the usual extras that can add up in primary settings, such as uniform, trips, and optional clubs. For wraparound, the school publishes session charges for breakfast club and after-school clubs (including a one-off membership fee for after-school clubs).

For travel planning, Hampshire signposts its route planning support and transport guidance through its admissions and school listings.

• Competition for places. Reception entry is oversubscribed on the available demand data, with 43 applications for 24 offers. If you are relying on a place, do the practical work early: read the admissions policy, understand priority rules, and check timing carefully.

• Faith character is real, even if inclusive. The school explicitly welcomes families of different faiths and no faith, but also describes daily collective worship and close links with All Saints Church, including weekly worship with the rector and church visits as part of religious education. Families who prefer a fully secular school day should weigh that carefully.

• Curriculum consistency is a stated improvement priority. The most recent inspection highlights variation in how well the curriculum is taught in a small number of subjects, and the school is expected to continue building staff expertise as the curriculum is embedded. That is not a red flag, but it is a useful question to ask about when visiting.

• Wraparound is strong, but not cost-free. Breakfast club and after-school clubs are priced per session, and there is a one-off membership fee for after-school clubs. That may be excellent value for many families, but it is still a material monthly cost if used frequently.

All Saints Church of England Primary School, Winchester combines clear values, stable leadership, and a curriculum approach that is designed to be both ambitious and rooted in the local area. Outcomes at the end of Key Stage 2 are above England averages, including a notably strong higher-standard profile, and extracurricular life is unusually well specified.

Best suited to families who want a values-led primary with strong academic foundations, structured enrichment, and practical wraparound options, and who are comfortable with a Church of England school day that aims to be inclusive of families of all faiths and none. The main hurdle is admission rather than what follows.