Getting a Reception place in 2026
9 places left
Last year, Benhall Infant School did not fill its Reception places: 9 of 60 were still free after offer day, so distance did not decide who got in.
60places
45families put it first
128listed it at all
Year by year since 2019
It moves a lot from year to year, so don't rely on one year alone.
The 2019 and 2020 tables do not say which rule the last place went on, so a full school is shown by its furthest distance.
More about how places were given
60 Reception places for September 2026; 51 offered on national offer day.
45 families put it first; 128 listed it as any preference.
9 spare places after offers in 2026.
Distances change every year. Looked-after children, siblings, catchment and faith can come before distance. Check the admissions policy before you apply.
Places offered, September 2026 Reception entry, Gloucestershire County Council. Earlier years: allocation-day tables, Gloucestershire County Council. What this means
Closing date for Reception and junior applications: Midnight, 15 January 2027. Key dates
In short.
Worth knowing
- It had spare places after offer day last year.
- The distance that got a place has moved between 0.52 and 1.80 miles since 2019.
SATs
–
Taken in Year 6
Ofsted
Good
Full inspection, 2023
Class size
30
▲ Higher than typical (26)
Lessons missed
4.4%
About typical (4.7%)
Children per teacher
28.1
▲ Higher than typical (19.7)
Typical is the middle school when all 243 Gloucestershire primaries are lined up, half above and half below. Tap a box for the detail.
How places are given.
The council runs admissions for this school. If more families apply than there are places, places go in this order:
- Children in care, or who were in care
- Brothers and sisters of children already at the school (or its linked junior school, if it has one)
- Everyone else, nearest first, measured in a straight line from home to school
Gloucestershire County Council admission arrangements, September 2027. Children whose EHC plan names the school are given a place first.
Gloucestershire admission rules for September 2027
Free school transport. If this is your nearest suitable school and the walking route is more than 2 miles (children under 8) or 3 miles (8 and over), the council usually provides free transport. Families on lower incomes can get help over shorter distances. School transport
Visit the school.
We haven't found published open day dates for this school. Most primary schools are happy to show families round between November and January: check the school's website or call 01242234717 to arrange a visit. See every open day we know about.
SATs results.
Infant schools teach children up to Year 2, so they do not sit the Year 6 SATs, and there are no published results to show.
Where it ranks in Gloucestershire
Positions are among Gloucestershire state primary and junior schools with a published figure. 1st means the highest results. Typical is the school in the middle when they are lined up from highest to lowest. Jargon buster.
Ofsted.
Ofsted
Good
Full inspection, 2023
“Benhall Infant School is a special place where pupils succeed at being ‘the best they can be’. Pupils are keen to learn from feedback, embrace challenge and persevere if they find something difficult. They call this ‘purple learning’. It is the thread that runs through everything the school does. […]”
Read the full report (PDF) · Ofsted, Open Government Licence.
Inspection history (4 reports)
- 07 March 2023School inspection: Good · report
- 02 March 2010Full inspection: Outstanding · report
- 13 March 2007Full inspection: Satisfactory · report
- 30 April 2001Full inspection · report
Grades from different years were given under different rules, so they are not directly comparable. Reports from before a school became an academy are listed under its old school on the Ofsted website.
What parents told Ofsted.
Not enough parents filled in Ofsted's Parent View survey for this school to publish results. Ofsted only publishes a school's results once 10 or more parents have answered (November 2025 to September 2026).
See this school on Ofsted Parent View, or add your own views if your child goes there.
Day to day.
Pupils
Attendance and behaviour
Teachers and money
Behaviour policies differ between schools, so compare suspensions with care. Pupils and staff: school census and workforce census, Department for Education.
Questions parents ask.
How close do you need to live to get a place at Benhall Infant School?
Last year, Benhall Infant School did not fill its Reception places: 9 of 60 were still free after offer day, so distance did not decide who got in. Year by year since 2019: 2019: 0.58 miles; 2020: 0.57 miles; 2021: 0.75 miles; 2022: 1.38 miles; 2023: 0.52 miles; 2024: 1.80 miles; 2025: 0.69 miles; 2026: not full: everyone who applied got in. It moves a lot from year to year, so don't rely on one year alone. Distances change every year, and children in priority groups (such as looked-after children and brothers or sisters of current pupils) can get places before distance is used.
How many families applied to Benhall Infant School?
For September 2026 Reception entry, 45 families put Benhall Infant School as their first choice and 128 listed it as one of their choices, for 60 places. (Gloucestershire County Council)
What did Ofsted say about Benhall Infant School?
Rated Good by Ofsted at its last full inspection (7 March 2023).
How do I apply for a place at Benhall Infant School?
You apply to your home council, not to the school. If you live in Gloucestershire, that is Gloucestershire County Council. For September 2027 entry, apply by midnight, 15 January 2027. Offers are sent on 16 April 2027.
Contact and nearby.
Robert Burns Avenue, Benhall, Cheltenham, GL51 6PS
Headteacher: Mrs Katie James
Nearby primary schools
Spotted something wrong on this page? Tell us
This is a guide, not an admissions decision. Figures come from the Department for Education, Ofsted and Gloucestershire County Council and were last updated 7 November 2026. Always check the school's admissions policy and the council's admissions pages before applying. How admissions work