St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield

St John's CofE Primary School is a caring, inclusive Church of England primary in Dukinfield with a nursery. In this full inspection, safeguarding was met and most areas – achievement, attendance and behaviour, early years, inclusion, and personal development and wellbeing – were judged at the expected standard. Pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics, with results above national averages, and reading is a particular strength. Behaviour is calm and respectful, attendance is good, and disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND are well supported to take part fully in school life. Two areas need attention. Curriculum planning in some subjects does not sequence learning clearly enough, leading to inconsistent delivery and pupils sometimes learning content in the wrong order. Some pupils who struggle with writing do not receive effective adaptations, which limits how well they can access and demonstrate learning. Leadership and governance also need attention: improvement work is at an early stage, and governors do not receive sufficiently detailed information about achievement and the impact of leaders' actions, which limits their ability to challenge and support. Leaders have identified the right priorities and have begun training and support, but practice remains variable across the school. The school has a strong inclusive culture, positive relationships with families, and pupils leave Year 6 well prepared for secondary school, although inconsistencies in the curriculum limit achievement for some pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Reading is a positive feature, with effective phonics teaching and well-matched books.
• Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND receive support that helps them learn alongside peers.
• Attendance is monitored closely and overall and persistent absence are below national averages.
• Pupils behave well, are polite and respectful, and relationships with staff are positive.
• Early years provides a nurturing environment with a strong focus on communication, language and early reading.
• Inclusion is effective, including through The Nest provision for pupils needing a different approach.
• Personal development and wellbeing are prioritised, with wide-ranging clubs, visits and leadership opportunities.
• The school's values create a caring, inclusive culture where pupils feel safe and valued.
• Safeguarding standards are met.
• Staff value leaders' support, professional development and consideration of wellbeing and workload.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum planning in some subjects does not identify and sequence key knowledge clearly, so pupils sometimes learn content in the wrong order.
• Curriculum delivery varies across classes, so pupils do not experience the intended curriculum consistently.
• Some pupils who struggle with writing do not receive effective adaptations, limiting how well they record and demonstrate learning.
• Improvement work in curriculum and teaching is at an early stage and not yet embedded across the school.
• Leadership plans for improvement are not fully embedded in day-to-day practice.
• Governors do not receive sufficiently detailed information about pupils' achievement and the impact of leaders' actions, limiting their challenge and support.
• Inconsistencies in curriculum delivery limit achievement for some pupils.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield attended 96.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.6% of pupils at St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield had 21.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 11.1% of pupils at St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield received £6,240 and spent £6,290 for each of its 323 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £369,000 (£1,144 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Dukinfield · Tameside local authority: places and applications

What is St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield is Needs attention, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield last inspected by Ofsted?

St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield have?

St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield has 325 pupils on roll.

What age range does St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield cover?

St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield?

St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield is at Westmorland Avenue, Dukinfield, Cheshire, SK16 5JA.