The John Bamford Primary School, Rugeley
The John Bamford Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Rugeley. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 14 schools in Rugeley with published results, and 4,333rd of 14,452 across England. It was 87% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
- 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 Staffordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The John Bamford Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 84% of Year 6 pupils at The John Bamford Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 82% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 77% in Staffordshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 86% in reading and 88% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at The John Bamford Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 27 families put The John Bamford Primary School as their first choice and 48 named it as one of their preferences, for 27 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 The John Bamford Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The John Bamford Primary School are Etching Hill CofE Primary Academy (0.1 miles, Good, 87% reading, 89% maths); Forest Hills Primary School (0.4 miles, Requires improvement, 89% reading, 56% maths); Chancel Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 88% reading, 81% maths); and Churchfield CofE Primary Academy (0.9 miles, Good, 69% reading, 63% maths).
The John Bamford Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Etching Hill CofE Primary AcademyForest Hills Primary SchoolChancel Primary SchoolChurchfield CofE Primary Academy
Who goes there
3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 56 pupils (20.9%) received SEN support and 6 (2.2%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Rugeley Town Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Woodheyes Lawns (adjacent), 110 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The John Bamford Primary School issued 4 suspensions, 1.4 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
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2013, 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?
The school has a strong, inclusive ethos. The school values of respect, resilience, collective responsibility and reflection thread through every aspect of life in school. This helps pupils develop a strong sense of community and belonging. Pupils attend school well and are punctual. Pupils feel secure and safe at school.
The school is ambitious for all pupils. Pupils achieve well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils show a vibrant love of learning. They get off to a flying start in early years. Learning in the early years is exciting and engaging. Older pupils help younger pupils to care for the school rabbits, Betty and Derek. Leaders develop a nurturing and caring learning environment. Many parents and carers speak about the support shown by staff and how well-being is given a high priority.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's curriculum is ambitious and engages learners well from early years to Year 6. Learning to read is a priority. The new phonics programme sets out clearly the sounds children should know by the end of each term. The books pupils read in school and online at home are matched to their reading ability. Staff are trained on how to teach phonics. However, there are some inconsistences in how phonics is taught to different classes. This means that some pupils do not become fluent and confident readers as quickly as they could.
In many subjects, the curriculum is sequenced well with clear and ambitious outcomes from the early years to Year 6. In science, for example, pupils build on their existing knowledge as they explore which type of chocolate melts fastest. Pupils learn about how to plan an experiment and how to keep the tests fair. There is a strong focus on pupils accessing practical experiments. Teachers have secure subject knowledge to teach science and additional adults support pupils' learning effectively. However, in a few foundation subjects, the curriculum does not always set out precisely the subject knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils will learn and remember. As a result, some pupils do not learn all the knowledge they require and subsequently have gaps in their knowledge.
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 November 2013 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
22.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 84% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 88% to 82% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 90% to 82% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.7
Avg class size
6
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The John Bamford Primary School
Term dates
The John Bamford Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Staffordshire. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Wednesday 2 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)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The John Bamford Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The John Bamford Primary School is in Staffordshire; for families living there:
Apply to Staffordshire 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 Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 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 The John Bamford Primary School
Will you get a place at The John Bamford Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The John Bamford Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The John Bamford Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The John Bamford Primary School.
- Staffordshire publishes last distance offered figures, but none for The John Bamford Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The John Bamford Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Staffordshire 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
87%
Available places
293 pupils
335 places
42 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Rugeley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Rugeley
Across Staffordshire council
Places available
10,768
Applications
8,344
Got 1st preference
95.1%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Staffordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
56
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
23.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
268
Total Pupils
142
Boys
126
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
14.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,550
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,206
Per pupil
£1679k
Total funding
£89k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.7%
Overall absence
13.0%
Persistent absence
261
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
The John Bamford Primary School
Questions parents ask about The John Bamford Primary School
What are SATs results like at The John Bamford Primary School?
Of the pupils at The John Bamford Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 84% reached the expected standard in reading and 82% did so in maths.
What is The John Bamford Primary School's Ofsted rating?
The John Bamford Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The John Bamford Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When The John Bamford Primary School is oversubscribed, Staffordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The John Bamford Primary School?
The John Bamford Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 87% of its 335 places.
How big are the classes at The John Bamford Primary School?
Classes at The John Bamford Primary School average 26.7 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The John Bamford Primary School?
The John Bamford Primary School has around 268 pupils on roll. 22% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The John Bamford Primary School?
4.7% of sessions were missed at The John Bamford Primary School in 2024/25. 13% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The John Bamford Primary School?
Apply through Staffordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming The John Bamford 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 The John Bamford Primary School's term dates?
The John Bamford Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Staffordshire. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Wednesday 2 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).
How many road collisions happen near The John Bamford 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 Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The John Bamford Primary School?
The John Bamford Primary School is at Crabtree Way, Etching Hill, Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 2PA.
Sources: Staffordshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)