Picknalls First School

About Picknalls First School

Picknalls First School in East Staffordshire holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its two most recent inspections. The most recent ungraded inspection in November 2024 confirmed that standards are being maintained, and the breakdown shows real strengths in two areas: personal development and behaviour and attitudes both received Outstanding grades. That is a strong signal for parents who want a school that prioritises how children grow as individuals and how they treat each other. The quality of education, leadership and management, and early years provision are all rated Good. The school serves children from age 3 to 9, and with 294 pupils on roll against a capacity of 301, it is very close to full. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 95% of respondents would recommend the school, and 86% strongly agreed that their child is happy there.

Academic outcomes at Picknalls are solid, though the school does not publish Key Stage 2 SATs results in the available data. The local authority average for KS2 attainment in Staffordshire is 65, and while we cannot place Picknalls directly against that figure, the Ofsted judgement of Good for quality of education suggests pupils are making at least expected progress. The school’s Progress 8 score is not provided, so the most reliable academic metric is the inspection itself. The Outstanding rating for personal development and behaviour is particularly telling: it indicates that the school’s approach to building character, resilience, and social skills is a genuine strength. The parent view backs this up, with 89% strongly agreeing that their child feels safe, and 57% strongly agreeing that the school makes sure pupils are well behaved. For a first school that feeds into a middle school system, these foundations matter.

Picknalls offers a broad set of facilities for a primary school, including a library, music rooms, art studios, a sports hall, and a sensory room. There is also a chapel on site. The school runs clubs such as film, coding, drama, gardening, and eco club, and offers sports including athletics, gymnastics, tennis, and netball. For children with additional needs, the school lists provisions for specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Admission for the 2025/26 year was oversubscribed: 46 first-preference applications for 46 places, but 91 total applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.98. This is a school that local families clearly want, and it suits those who value strong pastoral care, a wide range of enrichment, and a Good-rated academic foundation in a first-school setting.

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