Western Downland Church of England Aided Primary School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 2 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Rockbourne, Fordingbridge, SP6 3NAOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Western Downland Church of England Aided Primary School is a primary school in Fordingbridge for ages 2 to 11. It is one of the 600 schools in Hampshire. It ranks 116th of 300 primary schools in Hampshire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in April 2012.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 25 April 2012, report published 18 May 2012

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 September 2023

The school's vision of giving pupils 'the roots to grow and wings to fly' is recognised by everyone. Pupils know and understand the school's core values of love, righteousness and fellowship. They strive to live these out in all they do. Due to their shared understanding of the values, pupils treat each other with kindness and compassion. Playtimes are happy occasions. Pupils play together harmoniously and make good use of the school grounds. They know that the three school rules of being ready, respectful and safe are important. Older pupils are proud of their roles, which help keep everyone safe. This includes being health and safety ambassadors, who are responsible for checking that play equipment is not damaged. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning in school. They know that adults support them to get better and that, when they need further clarification, someone will help. The school's curriculum is continually reviewed and adapted, so that it helps everyone to achieve well. All stakeholders are particularly proud of the forest school provision. Starting from Nursery, children benefit from attending each week. They are keen to share what they learn about the different elements of nature.

What the school should improve

  • Delivery of the curriculum in a few subjects is still being refined. In these subjects, staff do not always design tasks which allow pupils to learn the most important information. The school needs to ensure that all staff understand how best to support pupils in acquiring the intended knowledge.
  • In a small number of subjects, the school has not fully considered how best to assess what pupils have learned. This means that there is not always an accurate picture of what pupils have remembered over time. The school needs to continue to refine assessment systems and practice, so the precise knowledge pupils remember is understood.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

31 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths65%

65%, 3 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths10%

10%, 2 percentage points above the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score106

106, the same as the England average.

Maths, average scaled score106

106, 1 above the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score108

108, 3 above the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

160 pupils on roll, with places for 200

Eligible for free school meals5.6%

5.6%, 20.9 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language0%

0%, 21.6 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support13.1%

13.1%, 1.7 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan6.9%

6.9%, 0.9 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near Western Downland Church of England Aided Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Breamore Church of England Primary School3 milesOfsted judgements: Good to outstanding83% met the expected standard
Fordingbridge Infant School3 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
Fordingbridge Junior School3 milesOfsted: Good62% met the expected standard
St James' Church of England First School and Nursery, Alderholt3 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
Downton CofE VA Primary School4 milesOfsted: Good69% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Voluntary aided school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
2 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Mrs Alice Tubbs
Address
Rockbourne, Fordingbridge, SP6 3NA
Local authority
Hampshire
URN
116387

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.