Stanway Fiveways Primary School

Stanway Fiveways Primary School has demonstrated good overall effectiveness, with consistent strengths across key areas such as quality of education and leadership. Since the last inspection, the school has successfully navigated periods of change, establishing a positive and welcoming environment where pupils thrive. The curriculum is designed to be ambitious, engaging students and fostering a love for learning, which is evident from their enthusiasm and positive behavior in classrooms. Notably, the emphasis on reading has led to strong outcomes for pupils across various year groups, supported by effective teaching strategies and resources. However, there are areas in the foundation subjects where clarity on learning objectives and assessments can be improved to ensure alignment with overall educational goals.

Strengths

• Pupils thrive in a happy and caring environment.
• The curriculum is ambitious for all groups of pupils.
• Effective teaching of reading and phonics.
• Good support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Strong relationships fostered through activities like 'buddy' reading.
• Positive attitudes towards behavior and community values.

Areas for Improvement

• In some foundation subjects, the curriculum lacks clarity on learning objectives.
• Activities in the early years do not always develop necessary skills for Year 1.

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 Stanway Fiveways Primary School attended 94.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 13.7% 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, 0.8% of pupils at Stanway Fiveways 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 Stanway Fiveways Primary School had 21.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.0% 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, 11.4% of pupils at Stanway Fiveways 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 Stanway Fiveways Primary School received £7,312 and spent £7,402 for each of its 473 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £519,000 (£1,096 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 Colchester · Essex local authority: places and applications

What is Stanway Fiveways Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Stanway Fiveways Primary School is Good, from an inspection in February 2023.

When was Stanway Fiveways Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Stanway Fiveways Primary School was last inspected in February 2023.

How many pupils does Stanway Fiveways Primary School have?

Stanway Fiveways Primary School has 473 pupils on roll.

What age range does Stanway Fiveways Primary School cover?

Stanway Fiveways Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Stanway Fiveways Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 54% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Stanway Fiveways Primary School?

Stanway Fiveways Primary School is at Winstree Road, Stanway, Colchester, Essex, CO3 0QG.