St John's CofE Academy

About St John's CofE Academy

St John's CofE Academy was rated Inadequate in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, a significant downgrade from its previous Requires Improvement rating. The inspection found that quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management were all Inadequate, while early years provision was judged as Requires Improvement. This places the school in a difficult position within Cheshire East, where 13 out of 123 primary schools currently hold an Outstanding rating. With 161 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210, the school is under-subscribed, which may reflect parental caution following the inspection outcome. The most informative exam metric available is the local authority average Key Stage 2 score of 64, though St John's own KS2 results are not provided in the data. Given the Ofsted rating, families considering this school will want to examine the most recent progress measures and SATs outcomes closely.

Academically, the picture is concerning. The school's previous inspection in September 2021 had rated it Requires Improvement across all areas, including quality of education, personal development, and leadership. The 2023 inspection saw every category drop further, with the exception of early years provision which held steady at Requires Improvement. The local authority average for Key Stage 2 attainment is 64, but without St John's own published results, it is impossible to say whether pupils here are meeting that benchmark. The school serves a relatively disadvantaged cohort, with 20.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. Parents will want to ask the headteacher, Ricky Huddart, for the school's most recent Progress 8 and attainment data to understand how well children are actually achieving relative to their starting points.

On the practical side, St John's offers a decent range of facilities including a sports hall, ICT suite, gymnasium, playing fields, library, forest school, music rooms, and a chapel. Sports provision covers swimming, cricket, gymnastics, cross country, athletics, and rounders, with clubs such as book club, coding, gardening, and chess available. The school has identified SEND support for moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication difficulties, and other disabilities. As a Church of England primary, it has a religious character but is open to all families. The school is under-subscribed, so admission is likely straightforward for most applicants. This is a school that will suit families who are prepared to engage actively with leadership during a period of required improvement, and who value the outdoor and enrichment opportunities on offer despite the academic challenges flagged by Ofsted.

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