The latest school Ofsted judgements report has revealed a considerable disparity between outcomes in primary schools and secondary schools in the county

When inspected, Wiltshire secondary schools perform better than primary schools.

The report states that there are specific challenges for small and rural primary schools, which include mixed-age classes and the difficulty in recruiting leaders.

The topic was brought up in the Children's Select Committee meeting on Tuesday, October 31st.

The issue of recruitment was discussed as well as the problem of capacity within these lower-rated primary schools.

It was also mentioned that teachers in these establishments often have the responsibility of teaching multiple subjects, which is an additional challenge when it comes to Ofsted ratings.

The report shows that Bulford St. Leonard's Church of England Primary School in Salisbury was rated Requires Improvement after it was assessed in June.

Meanwhile, Wellington Lions Primary Academy in Tidworth, as well as Chilmark and Fonthill Bishop Church of England Aided Primary School in Salisbury, both improved their previous ratings of Requires Improvement to Good.

These schools were inspected in the spring term; the summer term outcomes will be shared in the autumn term update report.

The report says that similar data appears when analysing other rural counties such as Somerset, Dorset, Lincolnshire and the Isle of Wight.

Overall, the percentage of schools in the county that Ofsted rated Good or Outstanding has slightly improved since the previous report but sits at 81.7%, which is below the current national average of 88.8%.

However, the percentage of Wiltshire pupils that attend one of these schools is above the national average, at 88.7%.