Heron Cross Primary School, Stoke-on-Trent

Ofsted's report card from its 20 January 2026 inspection grades Heron Cross Primary School on 7 areas: 3 strong standard and 4 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders prioritise attendance very successfully."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders have developed a highly inclusive ethos."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders have developed a comprehensive and well-considered personal development programme that responds closely to pupils' needs."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils achieve well and are prepared effectively for their next stages of education."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate overview of the quality of the school's curriculum."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders prioritise the early years."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders energise the school community."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should further support staff in ensuring curriculum developments in writing and mathematics are embedded so that pupils learn important foundational knowledge in these subjects securely and consistently. • Leaders should ensure that teaching focuses consistently on the important knowledge that has been identified across curriculum subjects and that pupils embed and remember this core knowledge securely over time".

From the headteacher's welcome: "At Heron Cross, we have high aspirations for every child. Our broad, balanced and exciting curriculum is designed to spark curiosity, develop essential skills and knowledge, and instil a lifelong love of learning. Alongside academic achievement, we are committed to supporting the personal development of our pupils."

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care until 5:00pm.

In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils at Heron Cross Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 71% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 73% in Stoke-on-Trent and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 65% in reading and 54% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 34 families put Heron Cross Primary School as their first choice and 45 named it as one of their preferences, for 38 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Heron Cross Primary School are Our Lady's Catholic Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 62% reading, 72% maths); Co-op Academy Glebe (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 89% reading, 89% maths); Christ Church CofE Primary Academy (0.7 miles, Good, 50% reading, 60% maths); and The Meadows Primary Academy (0.8 miles, 79% reading, 77% maths).

Heron Cross Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

30 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Heron Cross Primary School (as of September 2026): 90% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).

43.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 78 pupils (19.7%) received SEN support and 8 (2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Longton Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Heron House (adjacent), 200 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Heron Cross Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Heron Cross Primary School issued 17 suspensions, 4.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Heron Cross Primary School are St Thomas More Catholic Academy (0.8 miles), St Peter's CofE Academy (0.9 miles), Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy (1.3 miles) and St Joseph's College (1.4 miles).