The Croft Primary School

About The Croft Primary School

The Croft Primary School in Stroud is a state primary for children aged 5 to 11, and it is essentially full. With 138 pupils on a capacity of 140, there is almost no slack in the system, and the demand is clear: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 43 applications for just 20 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.15. Twenty-four of those applications were first-preference choices, and all 20 offers went to first-preference families, so getting a place here is competitive. The school’s intake is less disadvantaged than the national average, with 13.8% of pupils eligible for free school meals compared to the national primary average of around 23%. It is a mixed, non-religious school with no nursery or sixth form, and it is led by headteacher Rebecca Gore. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2022, confirmed it remains Good, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2010.

Academically, Croft performs solidly against local benchmarks. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is above the Gloucestershire local authority average of 59%. The school’s ranking within Stroud places it 21st out of 52 primary schools, putting it in the top 40% locally, and nationally it sits in the 38th percentile. Subject-level results are strong: 96% of pupils reached the expected standard in both reading and maths, and 67% in writing. Higher-standard attainment is more mixed — 42% achieved higher in reading, 29% in maths, and 13% in writing — but the average scaled scores of 109 in reading and 107 in maths are comfortably above the national benchmark of 100. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to starting points.

The school offers a good range of facilities for its size, including music rooms, art studios, an ICT suite, playing fields, and an outdoor playground, plus a chapel. Sports provision covers football, cricket, tennis and netball, and there is a varied club programme with science, coding, gardening, choir, eco club and art club. For children with additional needs, the school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, social, emotional and mental health needs, and physical disability. Given its oversubscription and strong local reputation, Croft is best suited to families living within the catchment area who can apply early and make it their first choice. It is a well-regarded, Good-rated village primary that delivers above-average outcomes in a tight-knit setting, but securing a place requires planning and a bit of luck.

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