Carmountside Primary Academy

About Carmountside Primary Academy

Carmountside Primary Academy’s Key Stage 2 results sit well below the Stoke-on-Trent local authority average. Across the borough, 60% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, but at Carmountside that figure is just 40%. That 20-percentage-point gap places the school 57th out of 71 primaries in the area, firmly in the bottom half of the local rankings. Nationally, it sits in the bottom 10% of all primary schools. The school’s ranking score of 40 confirms that, on this headline metric, outcomes are a significant concern. Parents looking at raw attainment data will see a school that is substantially behind its local peers, and this is the most striking takeaway from the numbers.

Looking at the 2023/24 KS2 results in more detail, the picture varies by subject. Reading is the strongest area: 70% of pupils reached the expected standard, and 13% achieved a higher score. Writing follows at 67% expected, with 10% at the higher level. Maths is weaker, with 57% at the expected standard and none reaching the higher threshold. The average maths score was 99, while reading averaged 102. No progress scores are available, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2022, rated it Good overall, with all key areas — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — all judged Good. This was an improvement from the previous inspection in 2018, when the school was rated Requires Improvement across the board.

Carmountside is a state primary for children aged 2 to 11, with nursery provision on site. It is oversubscribed: for 2025/26, there were 22 applications for 18 places, and all 18 first-preference offers were taken up, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.22. The school serves a community with high levels of disadvantage — 61.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Facilities include a forest school, outdoor playground, playing fields, sports hall, gymnasium, art studios, library, ICT suite and a chapel. The school offers a range of sports and clubs, from cricket and netball to eco club, coding and gardening. SEND provision is extensive, covering specific learning difficulties, moderate to profound needs, speech and language, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, social and emotional mental health, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that may suit families prioritising a broad, inclusive environment and strong pastoral support over headline academic scores.

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