Cradley CofE Primary School

Cradley CofE Primary School is a small, caring Church of England primary with an on-site nursery, inspected in July 2026. Leaders have high expectations and have improved the curriculum and teaching significantly since the previous inspection. Pupils are happy, safe and feel a strong sense of belonging; relationships are positive, behaviour is typically good, and attendance is supported well. Safeguarding standards are met. The school is performing at the expected standard across the inspected areas. Early years provision is a notable strength, with warm routines, high-quality interactions and a strong focus on language and early reading. Phonics teaching is effective, pupils generally learn times tables well, and outcomes are broadly in line with or above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. Inclusion is effective: pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils are generally well supported, and the broad personal development offer, including music and pupil leadership, enriches school life. There are still areas to strengthen. Handwriting, letter formation and writing fluency are not taught consistently, and staff do not address errors precisely enough. Strategic leadership and governance, especially in early years, are not yet fully developed, and joint working between nursery and Reception could be stronger. Leaders should also refine support for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs and deepen pupils' understanding of British values. Published data for 2024/25 shows some outcomes below national averages, including combined reading, writing and mathematics and reading and mathematics, although the report describes overall outcomes as broadly in line or above average and disadvantaged pupils as broadly in line with peers over time.

Strengths

• High expectations and an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum.
• Effective phonics and early reading teaching, with children learning to read quickly.
• Strong early years provision with warm routines, high-quality interactions and good preparation for Year 1.
• Pupils behave well, attend regularly and build positive, respectful relationships.
• Inclusive practice identifies needs promptly and supports pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils well.
• Broad personal development curriculum and rich wider opportunities, including music, clubs and pupil leadership.
• Effective pastoral support and strong staff-pupil relationships help pupils feel safe and confident to seek help.
• Leaders use external advice and professional development effectively, and staff value support for workload and wellbeing.
• Governors are committed, understand the school context and fulfil statutory duties, including safeguarding.
• Parents and carers feel informed and involved, supported by the new parent forum.

Areas for Improvement

• Handwriting, letter formation and writing fluency are not taught consistently; errors in handwriting and punctuation are not addressed precisely enough.
• Strategic leadership and governance, particularly in early years, are not fully developed, so support and challenge are not consistently robust.
• Joint working across nursery and Reception has not been fully realised, leaving some early years provision less closely aligned than it could be.
• Support for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs should be refined so all pupils consistently achieve age-appropriate outcomes.
• Pupils' understanding of fundamental British values is not yet secure enough for them to discuss these in detail.
• Published 2024/25 outcomes were below national averages in some measures, including combined reading, writing and mathematics and reading and mathematics.

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 Cradley CofE Primary School attended 94.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.5% 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, 1.2% of pupils at Cradley 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 Cradley CofE Primary School had 13.5 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, 20.5% of pupils at Cradley CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.1% 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 Cradley CofE Primary School received £12,064 and spent £12,827 for each of its 73 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £13,000 (£180 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 Malvern · Herefordshire, County of local authority: places and applications

What is Cradley CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Cradley CofE Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Cradley CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Cradley CofE Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Cradley CofE Primary School have?

Cradley CofE Primary School has 73 pupils on roll.

What age range does Cradley CofE Primary School cover?

Cradley CofE Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 47% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Cradley CofE Primary School?

Cradley CofE Primary School is at Cradley, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 5NG.