Newcastle CofE Primary School

Newcastle CofE Primary School continues to perform well, maintaining its status as a good school. The school benefits from a strong community atmosphere where pupils of all ages support each other. With high expectations set by the teachers, students engage positively with their learning, participating in various enriching activities like outdoor classrooms and field trips. The leaders have crafted a well-structured curriculum that promotes pupils' progression and includes local community themes. However, there are areas that need improvement, particularly in how the school addresses the diverse needs of modern British society and the matching of reading materials to pupils' abilities.

Strengths

• Strong community atmosphere with supportive relationships among pupils
• Innovative curriculum design that includes local community topics
• High expectations set by teachers leading to student engagement
• Effective support for pupils with SEND enabling good progress
• Well-organised learning activities encouraging independent and collaborative work

Areas for Improvement

• Reading materials not always matched to pupils' current reading abilities
• Lack of deep understanding of the diversity of modern British society among 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 2023–24 pupils at Newcastle CofE Primary School attended 93.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.5%). 15.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 14.6%).

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 2022–23, 4.5% of pupils at Newcastle CofE Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 0.8%). 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 Newcastle CofE Primary School had 19.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2022–23, 50.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 18.4%).

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, 19.0% of pupils at Newcastle CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 14.3% 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 Newcastle CofE Primary School received £15,502 and spent £15,951 for each of its 21 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £31,000 (£1,454 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 Craven Arms · Shropshire local authority: places and applications

What is Newcastle CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Newcastle CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2023.

When was Newcastle CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Newcastle CofE Primary School was last inspected in June 2023.

How many pupils does Newcastle CofE Primary School have?

Newcastle CofE Primary School has 21 pupils on roll.

What age range does Newcastle CofE Primary School cover?

Newcastle CofE Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

Where is Newcastle CofE Primary School?

Newcastle CofE Primary School is at Newcastle, Craven Arms, Shropshire, SY7 8QL.