Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School

Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School is a small Church of England primary school in Mow Cop. At the July 2026 inspection, safeguarding was met and the school was found to be fulfilling expected standards in attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing. The school has a warm, inclusive and family-like ethos: pupils are proud of their school, behave well, feel safe and benefit from strong pastoral support. Attendance has improved to around the national average, and disadvantaged pupils attend better than disadvantaged peers nationally. The curriculum has been strengthened and teaching quality is improving, with staff receiving effective training and pupils enjoying a wide range of clubs, trips and leadership opportunities. The main area requiring attention is achievement. Over time, pupils have not attained as well as they should in national tests, particularly in mathematics, and some Year 6 pupils are not consistently ready for secondary school. Disadvantaged pupils also have gaps compared with non-disadvantaged pupils nationally, especially in the combined reading, writing and mathematics measure and in writing. Recent improvements to teaching, curriculum and reading, writing and number strategies are beginning to have a positive impact, but they have not yet had time to fully embed or produce sustained gains in national outcomes. Leaders have taken appropriate action since the last inspection, and staff trust them. However, leaders need to strengthen how well they evaluate the impact of their actions, and governors should provide more rigorous challenge and support. Attendance also needs further improvement to rise above the national average. Overall, this is a school with a positive culture and clear improvement momentum, but with important work still to do to ensure all pupils achieve their potential.

Strengths

• Warm, nurturing and inclusive school community where pupils feel safe and happy.
• Pupils behave exceptionally well and bullying is very rare.
• Attendance has improved to national average, with disadvantaged pupils attending above national disadvantaged peers.
• Curriculum is logically sequenced and builds learning from Reception to Year 6.
• Teaching quality is improving, with secure teacher subject knowledge and effective training.
• Early years provision gives children a positive start and prepares most children for Year 1.
• Strong pastoral care and inclusion for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils.
• Pupils have rich personal development, including safety, health, diversity and leadership opportunities.
• Leaders are well trusted by staff, and staff wellbeing and workload are prioritised.
• Governors fulfil statutory duties and are involved in school life.
• Pupils can access clubs, trips and residentials regardless of financial barriers.
• Safeguarding standards are met with an open and positive culture.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils' attainment in national tests is below national average over time, especially in mathematics.
• Disadvantaged pupils' attainment gaps remain, particularly in combined reading, writing and mathematics and in writing.
• Some Year 6 pupils lack the knowledge needed to move successfully to secondary school.
• Recent improvements in teaching and curriculum have not yet had a sustained impact on attainment.
• New strategies for reading, writing and number are not fully embedded.
• Leaders need to strengthen how well they evaluate the impact of their actions.
• Governors' challenge to leaders sometimes lacks rigour.
• Attendance should improve further to rise above the national average.

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 Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.1% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School 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 Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School had 16.5 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, 14.1% of pupils at Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.0% 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 Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School received £7,459 and spent £8,524 for each of its 99 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £67,000 (-£677 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 Stoke-On-Trent · Cheshire East local authority: places and applications

What is Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School is Needs attention, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School have?

Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School has 99 pupils on roll.

What age range does Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School cover?

Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 33% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School?

Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School is at Church Street, Mow Cop, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST7 3NQ.