St Stephen's CofE First School

About St Stephen's CofE First School

St Stephen's CofE First School is a state primary in Redditch, part of Worcestershire local authority, and one of 180 primary schools in the county. It sits among a competitive local landscape: the top-ranked peers in Worcestershire include Inkberrow Primary School and Hanley Swan St Gabriel's with St Mary's CofE Primary School, both scoring 88, with Malvern Wyche CofE Primary School close behind at 86. St Stephen's itself has a Good rating from Ofsted, a significant turnaround from its previous inspection in 2017, when it was rated Inadequate overall. The school serves children aged 3 to 9 and has a Church of England religious character. With 167 pupils on roll against a capacity of 150, it is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 59 applications for 30 places, with 29 offers going to first-preference families. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 24.8 per cent, above the national average, reflecting the school's role in a mixed catchment.

In its most recent graded inspection in March 2024, Ofsted awarded Good across every category: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This marks a clear improvement from the previous inspection, where early years, leadership, and overall effectiveness were all rated Inadequate. While the data does not include specific Key Stage 2 SATs results for St Stephen's, the local authority average for KS2 attainment is 61 per cent, which provides a useful benchmark for parents comparing schools in Worcestershire. The school does not have a sixth form, as it is a first school catering for children up to Year 4, and it does offer nursery provision. The Ofsted report notes strong behaviour and attitudes, and personal development is rated Good, suggesting a focus on character and wellbeing alongside academic progress.

The school's facilities include playing fields, a dining hall, music rooms, a forest school, library, art studios, and a chapel, supporting a broad curriculum. Sports on offer include dance, cross country, cricket, tennis, netball, and football, while clubs range from gardening and book club to coding and science club. SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. With an oversubscription ratio of nearly 2:1 and 33 first-preference applications for 30 places, competition for entry is real. This school will particularly suit families seeking a Church of England primary with strong pastoral support, a wide range of extracurricular activities, and a clear trajectory of improvement under headteacher Sarah Callanan.

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