Three Oxfordshire primary schools have been ranked among the top 500 by The Sunday Times schools guide.

Grange Community Primary School in Banbury was placed 151st in The Sunday Times Parent Power league table of the best primary schools in England.

The school in Avocet Way on the Cherwell Heights/Bodicote Chase development has 308 children on the roll and describes itself as "well-resourced".

Its website says it benefits from modern and refurbished buildings, a beautiful outdoor environment which includes a ‘Let’s Go Wild’ area, an outdoor classroom, a large field and impressive technology provision. 

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Kingham Primary School, whose website says it is "a small, friendly school in the Cotswolds" is ranked joint 316th.

And St Thomas More Catholic Primary School in Kidlington is placed joint 447th.

The faith school says it fosters "a strong sense of community" and "pupils’ academic and personal progress are equally valued".

 

Four of the best 10 primary schools — all of which have been ranked on the percentage of pupils who achieved their expected grade in the 2023 SATs tests — were in London.

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The Sunday Times said its latest data showed that across the country combined reading, writing and maths levels are still lower than they were before Covid.

In the most recent tests last May, 59 per cent of pupils reached the expected level in English, grammar and maths combined, compared with 65 per cent in 2019.

Since Covid, teachers have had to tackle falling attendance, a mental health crisis, overweight and screen-addicted children, the Times has reported.

One of the biggest challenges has been persuading children to attend.

About 1.8 million children are regularly missing school, which means they’re absent for at least one afternoon or morning a week, the newspaper reported.