St Peter's CofE Academy

About St Peter's CofE Academy

St Peter's CofE Academy is a Church of England secondary school in Stoke-on-Trent that is clearly popular with local families. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 364 applications for 207 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.76. Of those, 174 families put it as their first preference, and 165 first-preference offers were made. The parent view survey, based on 22 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, shows a mixed picture. Only 45% of parents would recommend the school to another parent. On the positive side, 77% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child can take part in clubs and activities, and 73% agreed that there is a good range of subjects available. However, 55% of parents disagreed or strongly disagreed that their child is happy at the school, and 50% disagreed that bullying is dealt with quickly and effectively. The school is led by headteacher Michael Astley and has 1,052 pupils on roll, just over its stated capacity of 1,050.

Academically, St Peter's faces significant challenges. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -0.58, which is well below the national average and below the Stoke-on-Trent local authority average of -0.47. The school ranks 9th out of 13 secondary schools in the local authority on this measure, placing it in the bottom half nationally. The Attainment 8 score was 37.4, and only 21.8% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate was just 7.1%, with only 2.1% of pupils achieving the EBacc at grade 5 or above. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025, the school was judged to be Good across all four graded areas: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This is a notable improvement from its previous inspection in November 2022, when the school was rated Requires Improvement overall, with behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership all graded as Requires Improvement.

The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, chapel, astro turf, and playing fields. Sports on offer include rowing, rugby, hockey, and gymnastics, while clubs range from the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and Model UN to Young Enterprise and a film club. The school has a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 46.3%, and it provides support for a broad spectrum of special educational needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. The parent view survey suggests that 55% of parents feel the school gives SEND children the support they need. For families considering St Peter's, the oversubscription figures show it is a sought-after choice locally, but the academic outcomes and mixed parent feedback mean it is worth visiting and asking detailed questions about how the school is building on its recent Ofsted improvement.

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