Freeland Church of England Primary School Review 2026: Small-school feel, high Key Stage 2 outcomes, and a strong Church of England ethos

A village primary that punches above its size academically, with outcomes that sit comfortably above the England picture. In the most recent published Key Stage 2 dataset, 90.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. Scaled scores are also well ahead, at 108 in reading and 107 in maths.

The school runs from nursery age 2 through to Year 6, and its organisation reflects that small setting, with mixed-age classes and clear identity for each class group (Wrens, Robins, Owls, Red Kites, Kingfishers, Golden Eagles). The wider offer leans into outdoor learning and participation, with Forest School sessions appearing regularly on the calendar, plus swimming for selected year groups and an active pupil leadership culture.

As a Church of England school, the ethos is not an add-on. The vision language, collective worship, and spirituality work are all prominent, and the September 2024 SIAMS inspection describes a culture of prayer, reflection, and inclusion that runs through day-to-day life.

This is a school that presents itself as a community built around relationships and shared responsibilities. Pupils are encouraged to take on leadership roles, and both the school’s own materials and external evaluations point to a strong culture of trust between adults and children. A practical example is the range of pupil roles described across the year, including school council and eco-councillor opportunities, alongside wellbeing-focused initiatives such as wellbeing champions.

Faith is integrated in a way that is likely to feel authentic to families who want a Church of England education. Daily collective worship is described as part of the routine, and the vision is explicitly linked to the Parable of the Mustard Seed, with an emphasis on growth, care, and reflection. The school also uses the phrase Know your roots, Branch out, Fly High as a clear shorthand for how it thinks about pupil development and ambition.

The SIAMS report dated 17 September 2024 highlights practical expressions of this ethos: a dedicated prayer shack for quiet reflection during social times, partnerships with local churches, and a strong emphasis on inclusion and support for families who may be experiencing disadvantage. The same report also describes social action and community links, including engagement with a nearby care home and food bank collections.

Nursery and Reception provision sit naturally within that whole-school story. The Early Years approach is described as being delivered by skilled practitioners, with a balance of child-initiated and adult-led learning, and ongoing observation to tailor provision. For families starting at age 2, that continuity into Reception and then through Key Stage 1 can be a real advantage, as routines and expectations evolve gradually rather than changing abruptly between settings.

Freeland’s headline academic picture is strong for a state primary.

In the latest published Key Stage 2 outcomes:

• 90.33% met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average of 62%.

• At the higher standard, 35.67% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%.

• Scaled scores are high: Reading 108 and Maths 107.

The school’s wider attainment indicators are also positive, including 96% meeting the expected standard in science and 89% meeting the expected standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling. (All figures are from the most recent published KS2 dataset in the provided performance file.)

On FindMySchool’s primary ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 2,210th in England and 5th in the Witney area for primary outcomes. That places it above the England average, within the top 25% of schools in England (around the 15th percentile). Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view these results side-by-side with nearby primaries.

One important context point is scale. With a smaller cohort, year-to-year outcomes can swing more than in a large two-form entry. The current picture is still compelling, but families should read results as a strong trend rather than a guarantee that every future cohort will replicate the same percentages.

The curriculum is framed as broad and balanced, and it is clearly designed to connect to the school’s values and Church of England identity. In practice, that shows up as a mix of strong foundations in English and maths, plus meaningful attention to foundation subjects and personal development.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (10 May 2022) confirmed that the school continues to be Good, and the report notes strong relationships, pupils’ willingness to concentrate and learn, and a culture where pupils feel safe and supported.

The same inspection also gives a useful “how it works” detail: curriculum thinking is more consistent in core areas, while a small minority of foundation subjects needed clearer specification of the precise knowledge leaders want pupils to learn over time. For parents, the implication is that reading and maths teaching looks well-established, and the wider curriculum is taken seriously, but some subject sequencing may be an area to ask about when visiting, especially if your child is highly curious about humanities or creative subjects.

Languages are a distinctive feature for a small primary, with the prospectus stating Mandarin as the language taught. That is unusual in the state primary sector and can be a genuine differentiator for families who value early exposure to non-European languages.

In Early Years, the school describes a thematic curriculum across the seven areas of learning, supported by continuous assessment and close collaboration with parents and carers. The practical advantage is responsiveness. If your child is confident and ready to be stretched, staff can extend learning; if they need support in communication or routines, the approach is designed to identify needs early and adjust provision quickly.

For a primary, the most meaningful destination information is transition to secondary.

The school’s prospectus states that the large majority of pupils transfer to Bartholomew School in Eynsham, and it also describes structured transition through Year 6 visits and an induction programme.

For families, this matters in two ways. First, it can create a sense of continuity because pupils tend to move on with a substantial peer group. Second, it suggests the school is actively managing the Year 6 to Year 7 handover, rather than treating it as something that happens after SATs.

Because the setting includes nursery provision from age 2, there is also an “internal destination” question: how nursery children move into Reception. The school offers wraparound care from age 2 and describes Early Years provision across nursery and Reception (Wrens and Robins), which often signals an intention to create a smooth progression rather than two separate mini-institutions.

Freeland is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. The main practical admissions question is availability, because the school is described as oversubscribed in the supplied admissions dataset.

From the most recent provided admissions snapshot for the primary entry route:

• 39 applications were made for 13 offers, indicating strong demand relative to places available.

• The subscription ratio is 3 applications per place, and the school is flagged Oversubscribed.

• The first-preference ratio indicates offers broadly aligned with first-choice demand in that snapshot.

For Reception entry, applications are handled through the local authority route, and the school publishes clear oversubscription criteria. These include priority for children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, looked-after and previously looked-after children, then a mixture of local address (Freeland) and sibling criteria, followed by other children.

The school’s admissions information for September 2026 entry includes two concrete timing anchors: the closing date of 15 January 2026 and offers issued on 17 April 2026 (as published on the school’s admissions page). Those dates are now in the past, but they are still useful as a pattern guide for future years, since the national deadline and offer timing usually follow a similar rhythm.

If you are planning ahead, the safest approach is to treat autumn and early winter as the key decision window. FindMySchool’s Map Search tool can help you sanity-check practicalities like travel time and nearby alternatives, especially if you are weighing multiple Oxfordshire schools.

A small primary stands or falls on pastoral quality, because staff contact is frequent and relationships are more intense than in a large setting. The evidence base here is reassuring.

The Ofsted report describes pupils’ trust in adults and confirms that safeguarding arrangements are effective. It also notes that staff are trained to identify concerns and work with outside agencies when families need extra help.

The school’s own materials add the “day-to-day” layer: wraparound care from early morning through to late afternoon for children from age 2, stay-and-learn sessions for parents, and a routine where parents are encouraged to come into the playground at drop-off and collection to strengthen home-school links.

Wellbeing is also framed in the school’s Church of England identity, especially in the SIAMS report’s discussion of reflection spaces and prayer culture. The practical implication is that children who benefit from structured calm, predictable routines, and explicit work on feelings may find the environment supportive.

For a smaller primary, the question is not “how many clubs exist”, it is whether the offer feels intentional and whether pupils actually participate.

Freeland has several distinctive strands that are clearly evidenced.

Choir and music performance

The school runs a choir open from Year 1 to Year 6, with links to Oxfordshire Music Service events and performances in school and community settings. In a village school, that sort of outward-facing music activity can be a confidence-builder, especially for pupils who like structured group participation.

Eco leadership and sustainability

An Eco-Council is described on the curriculum pages, and the wider eco work links to trust-wide activity such as the EPA Youth Summit and a Freeland Manifesto focused on sustainability intentions. For pupils, the benefit is tangible responsibility, not just classroom discussion.

Forest School and outdoor learning

Forest School appears as a scheduled recurring activity on the school calendar, which is a useful signal that it is embedded rather than occasional. Outdoor learning tends to suit children who learn well through movement and practical exploration, and it can be particularly helpful for younger pupils who need variety in attention demands.

Sport: participation and competition

The calendar includes competitive fixtures such as Bee Netball for Years 5 and 6, and the prospectus describes swimming as part of physical education. The school also references lunchtime sport provision from an external provider. For families, the key is that sport seems to be offered both as an every-child entitlement and as a chance to represent the school.

Trips and wider experiences

The Ofsted report references educational trips, including a visit to Didcot Railway Centre, while the SIAMS report and prospectus describe a pattern of community engagement and off-site experiences. These details matter because they show how the school extends learning beyond the classroom without relying on generic claims.

The published school day timings are clear. Gates open at 8.35am, pupils should be in classrooms for 8.45am, register is at 8.50am, and the day finishes at 3.15pm (3.10pm for Robins). Lunch is listed as 12pm to 1pm, and the school states pupils are in school for 32.5 hours per week.

Wraparound care is a meaningful strength. Breakfast club runs from 7.45am, and after-school provision runs from 3.15pm with pick-up options at 4.15pm or 5.15pm depending on booking, with the school stating wraparound is available from age 2 (booked in advance).

On travel, the school explicitly encourages walking where possible and asks families who drive to park considerately and respect nearby residents. Bike and scooter racks are available, with a stated expectation that they are not ridden on site for safety reasons.

• Competition for places. The admissions snapshot provided indicates oversubscription, with around three applications per place in the primary entry route. Families should plan early and treat this as a school where admission can be the limiting factor.

• Some curriculum sequencing work remains. The most recent inspection material identifies that a small minority of foundation subjects needed sharper definition of the knowledge pupils should learn over time. If your child has strong interests in particular subjects, ask how those subjects are structured across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

• Small-school dynamics. Mixed-age classes and a tight community can be a major positive for many children, but it can also mean fewer friendship options within a single year group. It is worth asking how the school supports peer relationships and friendship changes as pupils move through mixed-age groupings.

• Faith is central, not optional in tone. Parents do have a right to withdraw from collective worship, but the ethos is explicitly Church of England, and daily worship is described as part of the routine. This will suit some families strongly and feel less aligned for others.

Freeland Church of England Primary School combines a small-school feel with outcomes that stand out in England terms, particularly at Key Stage 2. Wraparound care from age 2 and a clear Early Years approach add practical value for working families, while music, eco leadership, Forest School, and community links give breadth beyond SATs preparation.

Who it suits: families who want a Church of England ethos, close relationships, and strong academic outcomes in a village setting, especially those who value continuity from nursery into primary.