St Faith's Church of England Primary School Review 2026, High-attaining parish primary with a strong Winchester transition link

Lockburn, the school’s pond and wildlife area backing onto the water meadows, gives learning a genuinely local texture, outdoor study is not treated as an occasional extra. With only 150 places from Reception to Year 6, it is a deliberately small school, and that scale shapes everything, from calm routines to the way responsibilities are handed to pupils.

Academic outcomes are a major headline. In 2024, 97.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average of 62%. The school also sits in the elite tier of primary performance in England in the FindMySchool rankings. (These are proprietary FindMySchool rankings based on official data.)

Faith is not decorative. The parish relationship, regular worship, and the wider St Cross setting underpin daily school life.

This is a school with a clearly articulated values language, and pupils are expected to use it. Courage, trust, love and hope are embedded in the day-to-day tone, including how pupils talk about effort and how adults frame behaviour. The latest inspection describes pupils as calm and considerate, with warm, respectful relationships across the school community.

The Church of England character is practical and visible. The school links closely with the Parish of St Faith’s and the Hospital of St Cross, with regular opportunities to attend services and workshops, and with Open the Book assemblies supported by the local church community. Major points in the Christian calendar are marked through visits to the Chapel of St Cross, which makes the school’s Winchester context feel real rather than abstract. Families of faith usually value this continuity; families who prefer a more neutral ethos should read the admissions and worship expectations carefully.

Leadership opportunities are unusually prominent for a school of this size. Pupils take on roles such as digital leaders, school counsellors, and eco-warriors, which builds confidence and gives older pupils a real stake in how the school runs. In a small school, these roles can feel more meaningful because pupils are visible, and they are known.

The current headteacher is Mr Benjamin Bond. (A specific appointment date is not consistently published across accessible official sources.)

The numbers point to an exceptionally high-attaining primary.

In the FindMySchool primary ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 225th in England and 1st locally in Winchester. This places it among the highest-performing schools in England (top 2%). (These are proprietary FindMySchool rankings based on official data.)

At Key Stage 2 in 2024:

• 97.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared to the England average of 62%.

• 44.33% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, compared to the England average of 8%.

• Scaled scores were 110 in reading and 110 in mathematics, with a GPS scaled score of 112 (total combined score 332).

• Subject expected-standard measures are also extremely high: 100% in reading, 100% in mathematics, 96% in GPS, and 100% in science.

For parents, the implication is straightforward. This is a setting where high prior attainment is common and where teaching is calibrated to push pupils beyond “secure” into genuine depth. That has advantages, including pace, intellectual stretch, and strong habits around reading and number. It also means families should think about fit for children who may find a high-expectation peer group tiring, even when teachers are supportive.

One important caveat is scale. With a Published Admission Number of 20, each cohort is small, and year-to-year percentages can move more sharply than in a two-form entry school. The overall picture, however, is consistent with a long-standing reputation for strong attainment, including the older inspection record of high standards in reading and mathematics.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view these results side-by-side using the Comparison Tool.

A key strength is the structured sequencing of learning. The most recent inspection highlights a curriculum that breaks knowledge into small steps and teaches them in a deliberate order, with pupils building understanding securely over time.

Early reading and mathematics stand out as particularly well managed. Phonics is taught daily, gaps are identified quickly, and catch-up is routine rather than exceptional. This aligns with the KS2 profile, where attainment is exceptionally high and the higher standard is achieved by a large proportion of pupils.

The school also uses specialist staff in several areas. The staff list includes a PE and sports specialist (Marc Gillingham) and a music specialist, which is not always the case in a very small primary. German is also visible as a taught subject within the published curriculum structure, suggesting a willingness to go beyond minimum entitlement in the primary phase.

A measured area to watch is assessment in some foundation subjects. The latest inspection notes that assessment is less precise in parts of the wider curriculum, which can make it harder to spot misconceptions quickly in those areas. For most families, the practical implication is to ask how the school is tightening assessment beyond English and mathematics, especially for pupils who need explicit feedback loops to stay confident.

In Winchester, secondary transfer can be as much about alignment and continuity as headline results, and this school has built a clear bridge to one particular route.

St Faith’s is part of the Kings’ Cluster of feeder primary schools and describes an established partnership with Kings’ School, Winchester, including staff collaboration to support transition and maintain high expectations as pupils move into Year 7. The school also notes that pupils meet a specific criterion in the Kings’ School admissions policy, which can matter for families weighing the practicalities of secondary allocation.

That said, the school is explicit that there is a wide choice at Year 7 and upwards. Families should treat the partnership as a helpful pathway rather than a guaranteed destination, and should cross-check secondary admissions rules each year, particularly where catchment and feeder arrangements interact.

Beyond secondary transfer, the school aims to send pupils on with strong learning behaviours, not only test readiness. The latest inspection describes pupils as eager to learn and able to sustain effort when tackling new material. That is often what makes the difference in Year 7, when organisation, reading stamina, and confidence with mathematics start to matter as much as raw attainment.

Admission is competitive at Reception entry. In the most recent admissions data available here, there were 56 applications for 20 offers, which equates to 2.8 applications per place. The entry route is therefore meaningfully oversubscribed.

St Faith’s is a voluntary aided Church of England primary; the governing body is the admissions authority. The school describes its catchment area as the Parish of St Faith’s, and parish connection can be a practical factor for families considering likelihood of offer.

For September 2026 Reception entry, Hampshire’s coordinated timetable provides the key dates:

• Applications open: 01 November 2025

• National closing date: Thursday 15 January 2026

• Notification date for on-time applicants: 16 April 2026

• Waiting list established: 30 April 2026

Hampshire processes applications under an equal preference system. In practice, that means you should list the schools in the order you truly prefer, but each school ranks applications against its published oversubscription criteria, not against where you placed it on your form.

Because distance cut-off data is not consistently published here for this school, families should avoid relying on anecdote. If you are weighing this option against another in Winchester, it is sensible to use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check travel practicality and to support realistic shortlisting.

Behaviour is a notable strength. The latest Ofsted report grades Behaviour and attitudes as Outstanding, and describes pupils as demonstrating self-awareness and strong routines from the time they start in Reception. This matters for learning, but it also matters for wellbeing. A school where conduct is consistent tends to feel predictable for children, which supports confidence and reduces low-level anxiety.

The culture of care is reinforced by small-school visibility. Pupils are known quickly, and leadership roles such as school counsellors and eco-warriors give older pupils structured ways to contribute positively to daily life.

Support for additional needs is treated as an enabling function rather than a separate track. The latest inspection describes SEND support as targeted and precise, with pupils able to access and succeed across the curriculum. For parents, the most useful follow-up question is usually practical: how early needs are identified in Reception, and what support looks like in a mixed-age class structure.

The safeguarding picture is secure. The most recent report states that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

A small school can still offer breadth if it plans cleverly, and St Faith’s leans into rotation rather than a fixed menu. Clubs and activities are explicitly rotated through the year, allowing pupils to try different options across terms.

The Autumn 2025 clubs timetable gives a concrete sense of what that looks like. Lunchtime options include cross-country (for Years 5 and 6), junior choir (Years 3 to 6), board games including chess (Years 2 to 6), reading club, and mindful colouring. After school, pupils can join infant football, junior football, junior dodgeball, netball, quiz club, gardening, Integr8Dance, and Computer Xplorers, with several sessions run by staff who are already part of the school day.

The implication for families is positive. Children who are not naturally drawn to competitive sport still have structured alternatives, and children who do enjoy sport have multiple entry points, from cross-country to football and netball. At this age, variety is not just entertainment; it can be how pupils discover identity and confidence beyond the classroom.

Outdoor learning has a credible anchor. Lockburn, the pond and wildlife area, is positioned as a focus for outdoor learning and for building local identity connected to the water meadows. That is a distinctive feature for Winchester, and it suits children who learn well through observation, fieldwork and practical tasks.

Wraparound care is a practical strength. Breakfast Club runs 7.30am to 8.45am each morning, and the Ark after-school club runs 3.30pm to 5.45pm Monday to Thursday and 3.30pm to 5.00pm on Fridays. Holiday camps are offered in parts of the school holidays, 9.00am to 3.00pm, with a programme led by the school’s sports coach.

Travel expectations are explicit. The school encourages walking and cycling, including facilities for children to cycle and “skoot” to school, and it allows independent travel for Year 5 and Year 6 only, with parental consent.

• Entry is competitive. With 56 applications for 20 offers in the most recent available cycle, oversubscription is real. Families should plan on a realistic set of preferences rather than assuming a place.

• Faith criteria may shape priority. This is a voluntary aided Church of England school and the school describes its catchment area as the Parish of St Faith’s. Families outside the parish, or those not seeking a faith-based setting, should read the admissions policy carefully before relying on this option.

• Foundation subject assessment is still being refined. The latest inspection highlights that assessment is not as precise in some foundation subjects as it is in early reading and mathematics. For most pupils this will not be a barrier, but it is worth asking how leaders are tightening this work.

• Small cohorts can be a trade-off. A 150-pupil school offers familiarity and visibility, but it can also mean fewer friendship options in a given year group. This suits many children brilliantly; others do better with a larger peer group.

St Faith’s is an academically high-performing, small Church of England primary with a calm culture and an unusually clear sense of responsibility for pupils. The parish connection and the relationship with Kings’ School provide an attractive thread of continuity for many Winchester families.

Best suited to families who want a faith-shaped school experience, who value a small cohort feel, and whose child is likely to thrive in a high-attainment peer group. The primary hurdle is admission rather than what follows.