Fulford Primary School

Fulford Primary School is a small, inclusive primary school where pupils are happy, safe and well supported, and where leaders have built a genuinely caring culture that places pupils at the heart of decision-making. Personal development and wellbeing are a clear strength: the 'Fulford Promise' enrichment programme, carefully planned assemblies and pastoral support give pupils broad experiences and a strong sense of belonging, while behaviour is calm and respectful and attendance continues to improve, with persistent absence now low. Reading and mathematics outcomes are above the national average by the end of Year 6, disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND make good progress from their starting points, and safeguarding standards are met. Most areas of the school are judged to be fulfilling the expected standard. The curriculum is coherent and well sequenced, teaching is generally well matched to pupils' needs, and the early years provides a warm, language-rich start underpinned by daily phonics. Inclusion is a clear priority, with prompt identification of additional needs, strong relationships with families and external professionals, and careful use of pupil premium funding. Leadership and governance are effective, with accurate self-evaluation, appropriate support and challenge from governors, and a staff team that feels valued. The main areas for improvement relate to writing and the wider curriculum. Writing outcomes have been weaker than in reading and mathematics, although recent improvements are having a positive impact, and staff do not always give pupils enough opportunities to apply and practise writing across subjects. In history and geography, tasks are not consistently ambitious enough, so some pupils make slower progress than they are capable of. In the early years, provision is not always adapted quickly enough to match children's abilities, and inclusion interventions are not always analysed sharply enough to adjust support promptly. Leaders should build on existing writing practice, strengthen the wider curriculum and use inclusion analysis more precisely to secure sustained improvement for all pupils, particularly those with SEND.

Strengths

• Personal development and wellbeing are a clear strength, with a well-designed programme reflecting pupils' and community needs
• The 'Fulford Promise' provides extensive enrichment, sports and cultural opportunities, including careers fayres, theatre trips and productions
• Pupils develop a secure understanding of fundamental British values, tolerance and respect through assemblies, visitors and initiatives such as British Sign Language
• A highly effective pastoral offer supports pupils' needs precisely, including bespoke work for bereaved pupils
• Pupils contribute positively to the school and wider community through local history walks, charity fundraising and community links
• Reading and mathematics outcomes by the end of Year 6 are above the national average
• Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND make good progress from their starting points and are well prepared for the next stage of education
• Leaders have taken effective action to improve attendance, and persistent absence is low
• The school has a calm and respectful learning environment where learning is rarely disrupted and bullying is rare
• Pupils show positive attitudes, collaborate well and older pupils support younger ones at break and lunchtimes
• Early years provides a warm, caring environment with strong adult-child relationships and a sharp focus on communication and language
• Daily taught phonics sessions are a priority, and most children reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check
• Leaders have established an inclusive culture where pupils are well known and additional needs are identified quickly
• Staff receive a range of professional learning, including on adaptive strategies, which has improved classroom practice
• Governors understand and carry out their roles well, providing effective support and challenge to leaders
• Staff feel valued and supported by leaders who are considerate of their workloads
• Parents are positive about the school and the support and care it provides

Areas for Improvement

• Outcomes in writing are less positive than in reading and mathematics, although leaders' actions are having a positive impact
• Staff sometimes miss opportunities for pupils to practise and apply writing skills across the curriculum, so some written work is not as good or as well presented as it should be
• In the wider curriculum, particularly history and geography, tasks are not always as ambitious as they could be, so outcomes are not consistently high quality
• Some pupils make slower progress than they are capable of in the wider curriculum
• In the early years, leaders do not always adapt provision quickly enough to match children's abilities, so some children make slower progress than they could
• Leaders do not always analyse the outcomes of inclusion interventions precisely enough, so provision is sometimes not adapted to pupils' changing needs as quickly as it could be

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 Fulford Primary School attended 94.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.5% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Fulford 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 Fulford Primary School had 16.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 1.9% 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, 23.9% of pupils at Fulford Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.7% 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 Fulford Primary School received £8,595 and spent £9,372 for each of its 88 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £10,000 (£119 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 · Staffordshire local authority: places and applications

What is Fulford Primary School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Fulford Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Fulford Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Fulford Primary School have?

Fulford Primary School has 88 pupils on roll.

What age range does Fulford Primary School cover?

Fulford Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

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

Where is Fulford Primary School?

Fulford Primary School is at Fulford Road, Fulford, Fulford Primary School, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST11 9QT.