Clayton St John CofE Primary School

About Clayton St John CofE Primary School

Clayton St John CofE Primary School sits within the Bradford local authority, a large and diverse area for primary education. Among the 157 state primary schools in the borough, it ranks 86th, placing it in the bottom half of the local league table. The top-performing peers in the area include All Saints' CofE Primary School, Harden Primary School, and Copthorne Primary School, the latter of which is also the nearest school to hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating, located just 2.9 kilometres away. Clayton St John is a Church of England school for mixed pupils aged 3 to 11, with a nursery on site. It is led by headteacher Gemma Emsley and has 380 pupils on roll against a capacity of 420. The school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage, with 34.3 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals.

Academically, the school’s most recent data from the 2023/24 academic year shows that 58 per cent of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2. This is just one percentage point below the Bradford local authority average of 59 per cent. However, the proportion reaching the higher standard in all three subjects is just 3 per cent, which is low. In individual subjects, 64 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, 63 per cent in maths, and 73 per cent in writing. Average scores were 103 in reading and 101 in maths. The school’s Ofsted rating has improved markedly: in a graded inspection in January 2025, inspectors awarded a Good rating across all areas, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. This follows a previous inspection in March 2022 where the school was rated Requires Improvement across the board.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a library, art studios, music rooms, a sensory room, playing fields, a gymnasium, sports hall and a chapel. Sports on offer include gymnastics, athletics, swimming, cricket, football, rounders and cross country, while clubs include chess, eco club, choir and coding. The school has identified SEND provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and visual impairment. Parent View responses from 34 respondents between September 2024 and September 2025 show that 82 per cent would recommend the school. However, views on SEND support are mixed: 25 per cent of parents strongly disagreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need. The school was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry, with 51 applications for 23 places and 22 first-preference offers made. This is a school that suits families looking for a community-focused Church of England primary with improving outcomes and a wide range of activities, though those with children with SEND needs may want to investigate support arrangements carefully.

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