Cluster Coordinator: Julia Falaki
About this cluster
Within the North Cluster there were 22 schools (local authority maintained and academies) in the 2021-22 academic year – 3 secondaries, 17 primaries, 1 infant and 1 junior school. The cluster’s schools are situated in a mixture of towns and villages – 12 of the primary phase schools in rural villages. 3 of the primary phase schools are ‘small schools’ (fewer than 120 children on roll).
Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2019 data shows that Malmesbury community area has low levels of deprivation. 5 Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) rank in the lowest 20% for overall deprivation nationally. All other LSOAs rank within the 5th to the 8th decile. Royal Wootton Bassett community area (which includes Purton) has a wider range of deprivation levels. 7 LSOAs are ranked in the lowest 20% for overall deprivation, with 2 LSOAs ranked in the highest 30%.
The cluster has relatively low proportions of pupils who receive Free School Meals. 1 school closely matches the national average of pupils eligible for Free School Meals – Lea and Garsdon Primary (n=24, 20.9%). At Lyneham Primary School the majority of pupils were eligible for Service Pupil Premium (n=243, 70.6%). Other schools with the highest numbers or proportions of children eligible for Service Pupil Premium in the cluster were Royal Wootton Bassett Academy (n=234, 13.3%) and Malmesbury School (n=84, 5.9%).
The numbers of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) were notably higher than the national average at St Bartholomew’s Primary (n=86, 26.1% receiving SEN support), Wootton Bassett Infants (n=42, 24.1%) and Broad Town Primary (n=18, 29.5% receiving SEN support).