Stiperstones CofE Primary School, Bishops Castle
Stiperstones CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Bishops Castle. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2024 Key Stage 2 results were the 17th-highest of the 89 schools in Shropshire with published results, and 2,648th of 13,912 across England. It was 38% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
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
Stiperstones CofE Primary School in detail
Results
In 2024, 86% of Year 6 pupils at Stiperstones CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 86% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 72% in Shropshire and 76% and 74% across England.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Stiperstones CofE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 2 families put Stiperstones CofE Primary School as their first choice and 8 named it as one of their preferences, for 2 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 Stiperstones CofE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Stiperstones CofE Primary School are Norbury Primary School and Nursery (under 0.1 miles, Outstanding, 89% reading, 100% maths); Bishops Castle Primary School (3.8 miles, Good, 67% reading, 63% maths); Lydbury North Church of England Primary School (4.1 miles, 43% reading, 57% maths); and Wistanstow CofE Primary School (5.6 miles, Good, 50% reading, 40% maths).
Norbury Primary School and NurseryBishops Castle Primary SchoolLydbury North Church of England Primary SchoolWistanstow CofE Primary School
Who goes there
16% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (92%) and Mixed (8%).
In 2026, 6 pupils (24%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) 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.
Staffing
Stiperstones CofE Primary School had 2 teachers in 2026, one for every 11 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Stiperstones CofE Primary School.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Shropshire (10).
Suspensions and exclusions
Stiperstones CofE Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils love coming to this warm, caring and inclusive school. They understand the school ethos of taking a risk 'to be the best person you can be' and enthusiastically explain how they and their friends strive to do this daily. Older pupils support younger children as a matter of course and all pupils have great confidence in the adults around them. They know that if they have a problem, help will be provided. They feel safe and cared for.
All staff have high expectations of pupils and make sure that they have the support to achieve them. Behaviour is impeccable because pupils know what they should do and why they should do it. Even the youngest children understand that they have responsibilities to others; to be kind and respectful to other children and adults alike.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's ambitious and carefully designed curriculum is well established and consistently delivered. Great care has been taken to ensure that what should be learned and when is clearly identified for each subject. The smaller steps of learning are sequenced effectively to make sure that pupils can build on what they already know as they progress through the curriculum. Pupils are supported to make links across subjects that help them to secure their knowledge and understanding. They have many opportunities to apply and practise what they have learned. As a result, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are very well supported to achieve their best.
Teachers are skilled practitioners and have very good subject knowledge. They know all their pupils very well and activities are designed to take the needs of all into account. Ongoing assessment is used effectively to quickly identify and address any gaps or misconceptions. This means that pupils' experience of learning is very positive because unnecessary barriers are removed quickly. Summative assessment is appropriately used to check that pupils are where they should be and to inform any additional help that may be needed. Consequently, all pupils achieve the best they can and take pride in their achievements, reflected in the high standard of presentation that inspectors noted in their books.
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 June 2018 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
16.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2023/24KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2023/24 academic year
Class Sizes
6.3
Avg class size
4
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Stiperstones CofE Primary School
Term dates
Stiperstones 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
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Stiperstones CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Stiperstones 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)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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 Stiperstones CofE Primary School
Will you get a place at Stiperstones CofE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Stiperstones CofE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Stiperstones CofE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Stiperstones 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 Stiperstones 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
38%
Available places
21 pupils
56 places
35 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bishops Castle
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bishops Castle
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
6
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
24.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
25
Total Pupils
14
Boys
11
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
2
Teachers
12.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
2026 data
School Funding
£15,309
Per pupil
£321k
Total funding
£6k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.6%
Overall absence
5.3%
Persistent absence
19
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Stiperstones CofE Primary School
What are SATs results like at Stiperstones CofE Primary School?
Of the pupils at Stiperstones CofE Primary School who took the 2024 Key Stage 2 assessments, 86% reached the expected standard in reading and 86% did so in maths.
What is Stiperstones CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Stiperstones 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 June 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Stiperstones CofE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Stiperstones 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 Stiperstones CofE Primary School?
Stiperstones CofE Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 38% of its 56 places.
How big are the classes at Stiperstones CofE Primary School?
Classes at Stiperstones CofE Primary School average 6.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Stiperstones CofE Primary School?
Stiperstones CofE Primary School has around 25 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Stiperstones CofE Primary School?
3.6% of sessions were missed at Stiperstones CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 5.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Stiperstones CofE Primary School?
Apply through Shropshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Stiperstones 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.
What are Stiperstones CofE Primary School's term dates?
Stiperstones 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 Stiperstones CofE Primary School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Stiperstones CofE Primary School?
Stiperstones CofE Primary School is at Norbury, Bishops Castle, Shropshire, SY9 5EA.
Sources: Shropshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)