Newtown CofE Primary School

About Newtown CofE Primary School

Newtown CofE Primary School is a small Church of England primary in Shropshire, with just 90 pupils on roll against a capacity of 140. It sits 52nd out of 88 primaries in the local authority, placing it in the bottom half of the county's state schools. The top-performing peers in Shropshire include Stottesdon CofE Primary School, St Lucia's CofE Primary School & Nursery, and Minsterley Primary School, all of which rank higher on the same KS2 measure. The school is led by headteacher Ben Crompton and was inspected by Ofsted in January 2025, receiving a Good rating across all five graded categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, early years provision, and leadership and management. This marks a change from its previous inspection in 2013, when it was judged Outstanding overall. The school is heavily oversubscribed for Reception entry in 2025/26, with 22 applications for just 6 places, and all 6 first-preference applicants were offered a place.

In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 57% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, slightly below the Shropshire local authority average of 59%. Reading was the strongest subject, with 78% reaching the expected standard and 30% achieving a higher score, while maths saw 61% at expected and 17% at a higher level. Writing was weaker, with 65% at expected and just 4% reaching the higher standard. Average scaled scores were 106 in reading and 103 in maths. Nationally, the school ranks in the 64th percentile, and within the West Midlands region it sits in the 64th percentile as well. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 94% of respondents would recommend the school, and 94% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy there. Strong majorities also felt their child does well and that the school has high expectations.

The school offers a range of facilities including a library, playing fields, a sensory room, art studios, a gymnasium, sports hall, and a chapel. Sports on offer include dance, rounders, gymnastics, athletics, tennis, netball, and cricket, while clubs cover choir, gardening, eco club, and drama. SEND support is available for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and hearing impairment. However, the Parent View data shows no responses to the question about SEND support, so it is difficult to gauge parental satisfaction in this area. The school also has nursery provision for children from age 3. Given its small size, strong parent satisfaction, and Church of England character, Newtown is likely to suit families who value a close-knit, faith-based primary with a good range of activities, though the high oversubscription rate means early application is essential.

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