Combe CofE Primary School Review 2026: High-attaining village primary with strong values and outdoor learning

The headline numbers from the most recent Key Stage 2 results are exceptional.

In reading, writing and maths combined, 90% of pupils met the expected standard, compared with the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 48.33% reached greater depth in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the England average of 8%. Reading scaled score was 112; mathematics 110; grammar, punctuation and spelling 113. These are well above typical national benchmarks.

Rankings reinforce the picture. Ranked 122nd in England and 1st in Witney for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results place the school among the highest-performing in England (top 2%).

For parents comparing options locally, FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages and Comparison Tool can be a practical way to see how these outcomes sit alongside nearby schools serving the same area.

Early reading is treated as a priority from the start. Reception pupils begin phonics immediately, and early years and Key Stage 1 staff are trained to deliver the programme consistently, with reading books aligned to the sounds pupils are learning.

Across the school, there is an emphasis on curiosity and a creative curriculum, but the practical detail matters more than the slogans. Outdoor learning is not presented as an occasional enrichment day. It appears as a regular strand of the school’s identity, from gardening and growing to planned Forest School sessions.

The curriculum is also built to support the school’s Church of England character without becoming narrow. A recent church-school inspection describes a well-embedded Christian vision and a broad curriculum, alongside development priorities around prayer opportunities during the day and strengthening religious education by including non-religious worldviews.

One sensible implication for families is that academic expectations are likely to feel high, even though the school remains small. That can be motivating for many pupils. It can also mean that children who need more time to gain fluency, particularly in reading as they move through Key Stage 2, may need a clear support plan, something the school itself has identified as an area to keep embedding.

As a village primary, transition planning matters because many children will move into a larger secondary environment at 11.

The school states that most pupils move on to The Marlborough Church of England School in Woodstock, and that Year 6 pupils make several induction visits as part of the transfer programme.

For families weighing this route, the key question is fit. A Church of England secondary can provide continuity in worship and values language for some pupils, while others will be more influenced by practicalities such as travel time, friendship groups, and subject breadth.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

Admissions are coordinated by Oxfordshire County Council, both for Reception entry and for in-year moves. The school publishes a planned Reception transition, including a visit for pupils and a meeting for parents in the term before entry.

The Published Admission Number (PAN) is 17 in each year group.

Demand indicators suggest strong pressure for places. The most recent admissions data here records 40 applications for 10 offers, indicating around 4 applications per place, with the school recorded as oversubscribed.

For Reception entry in 2022/23 (offers issued 19 April 2022), the last place offered was at 1.737 miles, based on straight-line measurement. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place.

If you are relying on distance, use FindMySchool’s Map Search to calculate your straight-line distance in the same way the local authority does, then treat it as guidance rather than a promise.

Key dates for September 2026 Reception entry (Oxfordshire coordinated admissions) are published as follows: applications open 4 November 2025; deadline 15 January 2026; offer day 16 April 2026; response deadline 30 April 2026.

Visits are welcomed by appointment rather than fixed open days, so families should plan early, especially if they are balancing multiple village primaries.

A small school lives or dies by the consistency of relationships, and the official reports and website point to a stable, inclusive approach.

Safeguarding is described as effective, with staff trained to identify and report concerns, and pupils taught how to keep safe, including online.

The Church of England character adds a specific pastoral layer: worship and reflection are framed as part of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and the school describes opportunities for children to write prayers, ask questions, and reflect on values.

Pupil leadership roles appear to be taken seriously, including committees linked to wellbeing and environmental responsibility. The practical implication is that quieter pupils often find a route into responsibility that is not purely based on academic confidence.

Enrichment is unusually concrete for a small primary. The school publishes a termly club schedule and sets expectations that pupils commit weekly once signed up, which is a helpful signal of how seriously it treats routines.

Recent examples include Dodgeball (Years 2 to 6), Musical Theatre Club (Years 1 to 6), Netball (Years 4 to 6), Choir (Years 3 to 6), Spanish (lunchtime), Gardening Club (lunchtime), and OSTMA Martial Arts (Years 1 to 6).

Outdoor learning is not generic. Forest School makes use of a site bordering woodland on the Blenheim Estate, with activities listed including hammocks, trapeze walking, whittling, fire lighting, den building, and fieldwork such as estimating tree heights and identifying mini-beasts and leaves.

Sustainability work is also described with specifics: an Eco Council running composting, a wildflower meadow, and monthly water sampling from the Evenlode River through the FreshWater Watch project.

Music has clear structure. All pupils learn an instrument during Years 5 and 6 through Oxfordshire Music Service First Access, with instruments currently including brass, clarinet, strings, guitar, keyboard, African drumming and ukulele. The school also offers in-school individual tuition and music workshop days that end with performances to parents and pupils.

The published school day runs: doors open 8:35am; registration 8:40am; end of day 3:10pm, with a typical week of 32.5 hours.

Wraparound care is clearly set out. Breakfast Club runs 7:35am to 8:35am Monday to Thursday at £5.16 per day; an Early Morning Club runs from 8:00am Monday to Friday at £3.10 per day. After-school wraparound runs 3:10pm to 6:00pm with priced session options, and enrichment clubs typically run until around 4:10pm.

For transport, families often rely on driving and local walking routes. For rail, Combe (Oxon) station is the nearest, though it has a very limited service; for more frequent trains, Charlbury or Hanborough are noted as the nearest alternatives.

• Competition for places. Demand indicators show oversubscription, and the local authority’s allocation data shows distance can matter. If you are not living close, treat this as a preference rather than a plan. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place.

• Mixed-age classes. This structure suits many children, but some pupils prefer a single-year peer group, especially those who compare themselves socially or academically. It is worth asking how pupils are grouped for reading and maths within the mixed classes.

• Faith is real, not cosmetic. Daily collective worship and church festivals are part of the routine, and the school’s vision is explicitly Christian while remaining inclusive in tone. Families who want a fully secular setting should weigh this carefully.

• High expectations can feel intense. Results suggest strong academic ambition. That is attractive for many families, but it may not suit every child’s temperament, particularly if confidence in reading develops more slowly through Key Stage 2.

Combe CofE Primary School combines the intimacy of a village primary with outcomes that sit among the strongest in England. Outdoor learning and sustainability are expressed through real projects, not occasional theme days, and the Church of England character gives pupils a shared language for reflection and responsibility.

Who it suits: families who want a values-led primary with a structured day, strong academic outcomes, and regular outdoor learning, and who are comfortable with worship as part of normal school life. The main constraint is admissions, competition for places is the limiting factor.