St Peter's CofE Aided Junior School

About St Peter's CofE Aided Junior School

St Peter's CofE Aided Junior School in Fenland is a state primary for children aged 7 to 11, and it currently operates very close to full capacity with 231 pupils against a school capacity of 240. The most striking feature of its intake is the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals: 43.7 per cent. That is significantly higher than the national average for primary schools, which typically sits around 23 or 24 per cent, and it places the school in a context where a large majority of its families face economic disadvantage. Despite this, the school is not oversubscribed in a way that suggests fierce competition for places; the admission information does not indicate a formal oversubscription criterion or waiting list, so it is likely that local families who want a place can get one. The school is a Church of England aided school, meaning it has a religious character and some control over its admissions, but the data does not specify a faith-based priority for entry.

Academically, St Peter's presents a mixed picture. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 30 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is well below the local authority average of 58 per cent, and it places the school 186th out of 210 similar schools in Cambridgeshire. Looking at individual subjects, reading performed strongest with 55 per cent at expected and 9 per cent at a higher standard, while maths saw 40 per cent at expected and just 4 per cent at higher. Writing had 57 per cent at expected but no pupils reaching the higher standard. The average scaled scores were 100 for reading and 98 for maths. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024 rated it Good overall, a clear improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2020. Every inspected category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management — was graded Good.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a library, ICT suite, sensory room, chapel, gymnasium, and playing fields. Sports provision covers football, netball, gymnastics, cricket, rounders, tennis, and dance, while clubs include film, drama, coding, and chess. For children with additional needs, the school has identified SEND provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication difficulties. Given the high FSM intake and the school's recent improvement journey, St Peter's is likely to suit families who value a supportive, inclusive environment with a strong pastoral focus, particularly those whose children may benefit from the sensory room and targeted SEND support. It is not an academically selective school, and its results suggest it serves a community where many children start from a lower baseline, so parents prioritising high academic outcomes may want to look at higher-performing peers in the area.

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