Stainton CofE Primary School

About Stainton CofE Primary School

Stainton CofE Primary School holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across both its most recent inspections, including an ungraded visit in March 2024 where inspectors confirmed the school remains Good. The most telling academic metric for this small primary is its Key Stage 2 performance in reading, writing and maths combined. In the 2023/24 academic year, 64% of pupils reached the expected standard in all three subjects, which sits comfortably above the Westmorland and Furness local authority average of 58%. That places the school 39th out of 99 primary schools in the area, putting it in the top half of its local peers. While not among the very highest performers locally, the school is clearly delivering solid, above-average outcomes for its pupils.

Digging deeper into the 2023/24 results, the school's strongest individual subject at Key Stage 2 was reading, where pupils achieved an average scaled score of 106 and 73% met the expected standard, with 32% reaching the higher standard. In maths, the average score was 104, with 68% at expected and 23% at the higher level. Writing saw 64% at expected and 14% at the higher standard. The combined expected standard figure of 64% is the key headline, but it is worth noting that the school's performance in reading and maths is particularly solid. Ofsted's breakdown from the 2019 graded inspection rated leadership and management, early years provision, and overall effectiveness all as Good, with no areas flagged as requiring improvement. The school has held a consistent Good rating for over a decade, suggesting stable leadership under headteacher Rachael Wilson.

Stainton is a Church of England primary for children aged 3 to 11, with nursery provision on site. It is a small school with 115 pupils against a capacity of 200, yet it is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 32 applications for just 10 places, with all 10 first-preference offers accepted. That oversubscription ratio of 3.2 to 1 tells you this is a popular choice locally. Facilities include an outdoor playground, ICT suite, sports hall, forest school and a chapel. The school offers a broad range of clubs including coding, art, eco club, drama and choir, and sports such as netball, dance, cricket, athletics, gymnastics, swimming and tennis. SEND provision covers moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication, and hearing impairment. This is a well-regarded village primary that suits families seeking a strong academic baseline within a small, church-affiliated setting.

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