Silverdale Primary Academy

About Silverdale Primary Academy

Silverdale Primary Academy is a state-funded mixed primary school in Newcastle-under-Lyme, within the Staffordshire local authority. It is one of 308 primary schools in the area, and among the 35 schools in the Newcastle-under-Lyme district, it ranks 15th, placing it in the top half locally. The three highest-ranked peers in the immediate area are St John's Catholic Primary School, Woodseaves CE Primary Academy, and Needwood CofE Primary School, all of which achieved perfect ranking scores. Silverdale's own ranking score of 71 is based on the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. The school serves 142 pupils against a capacity of 210, and a notable 33.8 per cent of its pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. It also offers nursery provision for children from age three, and its headteacher is Simon Davies.

In its most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in October 2023, Silverdale Primary Academy was rated Good overall, with Good across all five graded categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This represents a consistent performance compared with its previous inspection in 2016, which also rated the school Good overall, with leadership and management judged Outstanding at that time. At Key Stage 2, 71 per cent of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, which is above the Staffordshire local authority average of 65 per cent. The school's average scores in reading and maths were both 106, and 14 per cent of pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects. In individual subjects, 82 per cent reached the expected standard in both reading and writing, and 89 per cent in maths. The school does not have a sixth form.

Silverdale Primary Academy is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, with 42 applications for 18 places and an oversubscription ratio of 2.33. All 18 offers went to first-preference applicants, who numbered exactly 18. The school's facilities include a gymnasium, sports hall, forest school, ICT suite, music rooms, dining hall, outdoor playground and a chapel. Sports on offer include cross country, dance, athletics, tennis, swimming, netball and cricket, while clubs include chess, science club and coding. The school has identified SEND provisions for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and hearing impairment. For families seeking a nearby school with an Outstanding Ofsted rating, The Meadows Primary School is 4.1 kilometres away. Silverdale suits families who want a smaller-than-average primary with strong core results, nursery provision, and a broad range of extracurricular activities.

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