St John's CofE (C) Primary School

About St John's CofE (C) Primary School

St John's CofE (C) Primary School is a small Church of England primary in South Staffordshire, currently teaching 86 pupils against a capacity of 105, meaning it has room to grow but remains a deliberately intimate setting. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 16.3%, which is broadly in line with the national average for primary schools and suggests a mixed catchment that isn't skewed heavily toward disadvantage. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 22 applications for just 8 places, with all 8 first-preference families offered a spot. That works out at 2.75 applications per place, a clear signal that local parents see this as a desirable option. The school's religious character likely plays a part, but the oversubscription ratio indicates that its reputation extends beyond the church community. With nursery provision on site, it also serves families from age three, which may explain some of the pressure on reception places.

Academically, St John's presents a mixed picture. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 57% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, below the local authority average of 65%. The school ranks 16th out of 18 primary schools in South Staffordshire on this measure, placing it in the bottom half nationally. However, individual subject scores tell a more nuanced story: the average reading score was 107, and 21% of pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, while maths averaged 103. Writing was the weaker area, with only 7% reaching the higher standard. Ofsted's most recent inspection in December 2022 rated the school Good overall, with Outstanding marks for personal development and for behaviour and attitudes. The early years provision was also rated Good, and the previous inspection in 2016 had already placed the school at Good, so there is consistency in leadership under headteacher Donna Calloway.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for its size, including a Forest School, gymnasium, library, ICT suite and a chapel. Sports provision covers gymnastics, football, cricket and netball, while clubs extend to drama, choir, chess and coding. SEND support is in place for pupils with moderate learning difficulties, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder, which is a reasonable breadth for a small primary. The school is oversubscribed, so families applying from outside the immediate catchment should be prepared for competition. St John's will particularly suit parents who value a small, church-affiliated school with strong pastoral care and a focus on personal development, and who are comfortable with academic results that sit below the local average but are supported by good behaviour and leadership ratings.

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