Staveley CofE School

Staveley CofE School is a small, inclusive Church of England primary school that is performing well. Pupils are proud of their school, feel safe and behave well, and they benefit from strong relationships with staff. The school is ambitious for pupils’ achievement and wider development, offering a broad and engaging curriculum alongside a wide range of clubs, sports and community activities. Reading is a particular strength, and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified and supported effectively. Inspectors found much to praise in pupils’ personal development, attendance and the school’s links with the local community. Governance is effective, staff feel supported, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. The main areas for improvement are limited to a small number of subjects where the essential knowledge pupils should learn has not been set out precisely enough and where assessment does not reliably identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a graded inspection under the current framework, so no overall effectiveness grade was awarded.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe, behave well and are respectful to staff and each other
• The school is inclusive and has strong positive relationships with pupils and families
• The curriculum is broad, rich and engaging, with strong subject knowledge among staff
• Pupils with SEND receive bespoke support and their needs are identified and met effectively
• Reading is prioritised and pupils who struggle receive effective tailored support
• Pupils achieve well in reading and their wider development
• Personal development is strong, including citizenship, environmental action and healthy lifestyles
• A wide range of extra-curricular activities, sports and trips broadens pupils’ experiences
• Strong community links, including litter picking and intergenerational activities
• Pupils’ attendance is high and the school acts effectively where attendance is lower
• Governance is effective, with appropriate support and challenge
• Staff feel supported and workload and well-being are considered
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective
• Early years staff inspire awe and wonder and children are engaged in learning

Areas for Improvement

• In a small number of subjects, the essential knowledge pupils should learn is not identified with enough precision
• In these subjects, pupils develop gaps in understanding and knowledge does not build securely
• In a small number of subjects, assessment checks are not precise enough to identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge

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 Staveley CofE School attended 97.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.1% 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 Staveley CofE 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 Staveley CofE School had 15.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.0% 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, 17.7% of pupils at Staveley CofE School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.8% 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 Staveley CofE School received £9,170 and spent £8,999 for each of its 79 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £69,000 (£879 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 Kendal · Westmorland and Furness local authority: places and applications

What is Staveley CofE School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Staveley CofE School is Good, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Staveley CofE School last inspected by Ofsted?

Staveley CofE School was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Staveley CofE School have?

Staveley CofE School has 79 pupils on roll.

What age range does Staveley CofE School cover?

Staveley CofE School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Staveley CofE School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 55% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Staveley CofE School?

Staveley CofE School is at Brow Lane, Staveley, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 9PH.