St John's CofE First School, Stafford

Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Church of England
Ages 29

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~2.3km)Possible (~3.4km)Unlikely (~4.4km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Miss Emma Challiner
Pupils:81 / 75 capacity
LA:Staffordshire
Phone:01785840318
Address:Whiteoaks Drive, Bishopswood, Stafford, ST19 9AH
Trust:PENK VALLEY ACADEMY TRUST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 April 2018

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 3 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Strong Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 2 June 2026View full report
URN:145380
UKPRN:10066645
Diocese:Diocese of Lichfield
Constituency:Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge
Urban/Rural:Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

St John's is a genuinely inclusive school where every child matters. Staff know your child really well and quickly identify any support they need, whether they're struggling or need a greater challenge. The school combines strong academic teaching with a caring approach rooted in Christian values, meaning your child will develop not just as a learner but as a thoughtful, kind and resilient person.

Key Strengths

  • Inclusive culture where all pupils feel safe, valued and supported to make good progress from their starting points
  • Strong personal development programme rooted in Christian values with meaningful opportunities for reflection and understanding diversity
  • Well-structured, ambitious curriculum with clear knowledge sequences and effective phonics teaching
  • Excellent behaviour and attendance management with positive relationships between staff and pupils
  • Strong early years provision that prepares children well for Key Stage 1

Areas for Improvement

  • Consistency of teaching quality across the school needs further development
  • Pupils' accuracy in handwriting and spelling requires greater support to develop fluency and independence
  • Achievement in multiplication tables check at end of Year 4 has been below average, though this is improving

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed.

Extracurricular Activities

Clubs, trips to historical places of interest, sculpture parks, 'wow' days, residential visits

St John's CofE First School is a welcoming and inclusive school where pupils are happy, enthusiastic and confident. Leaders have created a nurturing environment firmly rooted in Christian values where all children, including disadvantaged pupils and those with additional needs, are supported to thrive academically and emotionally.

At a Glance

10.0%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

22.3

Avg class size

3

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Social & online

Getting There

Bus Stops

Ivetsey Bank Road (adj)
232m · 4 min walk
The Royal Oak PH (adj)
238m · 4 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

108%

Over capacity

81 pupils

75 capacity

6 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Stafford

Low pressure
New homes approved:2,558
Projected new pupils:640

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Stafford

Admissions Demand - Staffordshire

Low demand0.79x oversubscription

Places available

10,783

Applications

8,531

Got 1st preference

95.6%

Got preferred school

99.2%

Primary admissions across Staffordshire (2025/26)

Inspection History(4)

2 June 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
15 June 2022
5 April 2018

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.68082%

Overall absence

7.40741%

Persistent absence

54

Enrolments

Authorised4.88187%
Unauthorised0.79894%
Persistent (10%+)7.40741%
Severe (50%+)1.85185%

Absence trend

3.62588%
18/19
3.03291%
20/21
5.49164%
21/22
6.2573%
22/23
6.38215%
23/24
5.68082%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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