St Lawrence CofE Primary School, Church Stretton
St Lawrence CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Church Stretton. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 46th-highest of the 96 schools in Shropshire with published results, and 8,234th of 14,452 across England. It was 86% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Shropshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Lawrence CofE Primary School in detail
St Lawrence CofE Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "St Lawrence Primary School, Church Stretton is a medium size school located in the heart of the beautiful Shropshire hills, serving a wide catchment area of pupils from surrounding villages. We have good links with our local community and nearby St Laurence’s Church (note the different spelling)."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils at St Lawrence CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 82% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 72% in Shropshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 88% in reading and 88% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Lawrence CofE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 18 families put St Lawrence CofE Primary School as their first choice and 30 named it as one of their preferences, for 18 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Lawrence CofE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Lawrence CofE Primary School are Rushbury CofE Primary School (4 miles, Good, 78% reading, 78% maths); and Longnor CofE Primary School (4.4 miles, Outstanding, 85% reading, 77% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than St Lawrence CofE Primary School.
Who goes there
12.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (87%) and Mixed (5%).
In 2026, 41 pupils (18.5%) received SEN support and 15 (6.8%) 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.
St Lawrence CofE Primary School has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties: 10 places, 10 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Church Stretton Rail Station, about 730 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Secondary School (opposite), 80 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Lawrence CofE Primary School issued 8 suspensions, 3.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
A love of the great outdoors is something that pupils quickly develop at this school. Nestled in the Carding Mill Valley, staff take every opportunity to make use of the school's idyllic location. Pupils benefit from an extensive outdoor and adventurous offer, including hiking, camping, orienteering and pond dipping, to name but a few.
This is an inclusive school where pupils are placed at the centre of all decisions. Staff have high expectations and pupils achieve well.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has designed a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils. It sets out precisely the knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils need to learn and the order in which these should be taught. Staff deliver the curriculum with expertise, which enables pupils to progress well with their learning.
There is a strong focus on developing a love of reading. Pupils talk animatedly about the books that they have read. The school has implemented a new approach to teaching phonics. This is beginning to develop a more consistent approach. Most pupils become confident and fluent readers. Staff identify pupils who need extra support to learn to read and provide additional reading sessions. However, sometimes pupils move on too quickly without gaining a secure grasp of the sounds that they have learned. This impedes their fluency.
From Ofsted's June 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its January 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
12.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: SpLD, Vision, Other +7
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 88% to 68% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 88% to 82% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 85% to 74% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.2
Avg class size
6
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with St Lawrence CofE Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Lawrence CofE Primary School.
- PassmasterAt the school · Not yet graded
Term dates
St Lawrence CofE Primary School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Shropshire. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Thursday 2 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Monday 24 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Lawrence CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Lawrence CofE Primary School is in Shropshire; for families living there:
Apply to Shropshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at St Lawrence CofE Primary School
Will you get a place at St Lawrence CofE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Lawrence CofE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Lawrence CofE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Lawrence CofE Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Shropshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Lawrence CofE Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Shropshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
86%
Available places
204 pupils
238 places
34 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Church Stretton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Church Stretton
Across Shropshire council
Places available
3,420
Applications
2,582
Got 1st preference
97.4%
Got preferred school
99.8%
All primary applications across Shropshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
41
SEN Support
15
EHC Plans
25.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
St Lawrence CofE Primary School has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties: 10 places, 10 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
222
Total Pupils
126
Boys
96
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
20.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,118
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,241
Per pupil
£1130k
Total funding
£42k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.1%
Overall absence
12.2%
Persistent absence
180
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St Lawrence CofE Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Lawrence CofE Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Lawrence CofE Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Lawrence CofE Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 68% reached the expected standard in reading and 82% did so in maths.
What is St Lawrence CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Lawrence CofE Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Lawrence CofE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Lawrence CofE Primary School is oversubscribed, Shropshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Lawrence CofE Primary School?
St Lawrence CofE Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 86% of its 238 places.
How big are the classes at St Lawrence CofE Primary School?
Classes at St Lawrence CofE Primary School average 25.2 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Lawrence CofE Primary School?
St Lawrence CofE Primary School has around 222 pupils on roll. 13% are eligible for free school meals.
Does St Lawrence CofE Primary School have specialist SEN provision?
St Lawrence CofE Primary School has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties: 10 places, 10 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at St Lawrence CofE Primary School?
5.1% of sessions were missed at St Lawrence CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 12.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Lawrence CofE Primary School?
Apply through Shropshire's coordinated admissions process, naming St Lawrence CofE Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does St Lawrence CofE Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Passmaster (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are St Lawrence CofE Primary School's term dates?
St Lawrence CofE Primary School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Shropshire. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Thursday 2 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Monday 24 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near St Lawrence CofE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Lawrence CofE Primary School?
St Lawrence CofE Primary School is at Shrewsbury Road, Church Stretton, Shropshire, SY6 6EX.
Sources: Shropshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)