St John's Stonefold CofE Primary School

About St John's Stonefold CofE Primary School

St John's Stonefold CofE Primary School is a small Church of England primary in Rossendale, currently home to 116 pupils against a capacity of 140, meaning it has room to grow. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 21.6%, which is notably above the national average for primary schools and suggests a catchment with above-average levels of disadvantage. Despite this, the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 68 applications for just 20 places, an oversubscription ratio of 3.4 to one. Of those, 18 families put it as their first preference, and 16 of those were offered a place. That level of competition is a strong signal that local parents see real value here, even if the school isn't the highest-ranked in the area.

Academically, St John's presents a mixed picture. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 45% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — well below the Lancashire local authority average of 60%. However, the school's individual subject scores tell a more nuanced story. Reading was a clear strength: 75% of pupils met the expected standard and 35% achieved a higher score, with an average scaled score of 105. Maths was weaker, with 55% at expected and only 10% reaching the higher threshold. The school's overall ranking in Rossendale places it 24th out of 31 primaries, and in the bottom 50% nationally. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated it Good across all categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision — a consistent improvement from its previous Good rating in 2013.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for its size, including a sports hall, art studios, a chapel and an outdoor playground. Sports provision covers athletics, netball, cricket, cross country, dance and gymnastics, while clubs include chess, choir, book club, science club, film club and eco club. SEND support is in place for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, physical disability and other difficulties. For families considering St John's, the key takeaway is that this is a popular, community-focused primary with strong pastoral care and a clear Christian character, but one where academic outcomes are below the local average. It will particularly suit families who prioritise a supportive environment and a broad range of extracurriculars over top-tier exam results, and who are prepared for a competitive admissions process.

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