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Bursley Academy

Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 8JQPrimaryAges 3–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Requires Improvement
Feb 2024
KS2 Results
69%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
45 1st-choice / 45 places
Ranking
#4,464
of 13,686 nationally

About Bursley Academy

Bursley Academy is a state primary school in Newcastle-under-Lyme that currently educates 383 pupils against a capacity of 420, leaving some physical room to grow. Its intake reflects a broadly typical demographic for the area: 16.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is slightly above the national average for primary schools but not dramatically so. The school is clearly in demand among local families. For the 2025/26 intake, it received 72 applications for 45 places, and all 45 first-preference applicants were offered a spot, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.6. That suggests Bursley is a popular first choice within its community, even though it isn't one of the top-ranked primaries in Staffordshire. The school has a nursery provision for three-year-olds, so it can serve families from the earliest stage of primary education, and it operates as a mixed, non-religious state school under headteacher Sara Stevenson.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressBursley Way, Newcastle, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 8JQ
HeadteacherSara Stevenson
Local AuthorityStaffordshire
Number of Pupils383
Free School Meals (FSM)16.4%
School Capacity383 / 420 (91% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

20 Feb 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 18 Mar 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

7
Outdoor PlaygroundGymnasiumSports HallICT SuiteArt StudiosLibraryChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

8

Sports

RoundersNetballCross CountryDanceFootball

Clubs & Activities

DramaCodingFilm Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning Difficulty

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:20

Source: bursley.staffs.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Bursley Academy

Bursley Academy has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.