May Bank Infants' School
May Bank Infants' School is a community school in Newcastle for pupils aged 5 to 7. It has 173 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for May Bank Infants' School is Good, from an inspection in January 2024.
Ofsted inspection: January 2024.
| Type | Primary / Community school |
| Age Range | 5-7 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Basford Park Road May Bank Newcastle Staffordshire ST5 0PT |
| Reference Number | 124115 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 173 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 45.66%
Girls: 54.34% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 4.6% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 6.4% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 28.8 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 28.8 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 31 | 29 | 60 |
| 2 | 22 | 37 | 59 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 85.5% |
| White, Other | 3.5% |
| African | 2.9% |
| White & Asian | 2.3% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 1.7% |
| Pakistani | 1.7% |
| Indian | 0.6% |
| Mixed, Other | 0.6% |
| Caribbean | 0.6% |
| Asian, Other | 0.6% |
May Bank Infants’ School has demonstrated a good overall effectiveness in its recent inspection, reflecting a school that fosters a welcoming and positive environment for its pupils. The school's strong emphasis on high expectations has resulted in exceptional behaviour and attitudes among students, who are described as kind, well-mannered, and happy. Notably, the school has excelled in personal development and early years provision, providing enriching experiences and a supportive atmosphere for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, while the curriculum for English and mathematics is ambitious and well-implemented, there is a concern regarding the planning and sequencing in some foundation subjects, which hampers the depth of learning in those areas.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| > Quality of education | Good |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Outstanding |
| > Personal Development | Outstanding |
| > Leadership & Management | Good |
| > Early Years Provision | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 06 Dec 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 06 Dec 2023 | School inspection: |
| 16 Jun 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 13 Jun 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 11 Dec 2000 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Exceptional behaviour and attitudes among pupils
- Strong relationships between pupils and staff
- Effective support for pupils with SEND
- Ambitious teaching of reading from early years
- Well-planned early years provision
- Inclusive practices that enhance pupil participation
- Strong curriculum foundations in English and mathematics
- Effective safeguarding culture across the school
- Positive feedback from parents and staff
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum in some foundation subjects is not sharply planned and sequenced
Reception admissions, 2026 entry
Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 40 | 2 |
| Third Preference | 16 | 1 |
| From another Local Authority | 10 | 5 |
Previous years
Sample
UnlockPlaces and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 May Bank Infants' School had 165 pupils for 169 places. 4 places (2.4%) were unfilled.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Newcastle 6 Primary” planning area
Staffordshire counted 307 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 288 in 2029–30, down 6%.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 169 |
| Pupils | 180 | 179 | 180 | 180 | 178 | 179 | 180 | 178 | 180 | 180 | 179 | 179 | 169 | 172 | 165 |
| Unfilled | 0.0% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.1% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 1.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 6.1% | 4.4% | 2.4% |
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 May Bank Infants' School attended 96.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 1.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 1.9% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 2.0% | 4.5% | 2.6% | 3.8% | 2.6% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.9% |
| Severely absent pupils | 1.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
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 May Bank Infants' School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 May Bank Infants' School had 24.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.3% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 12.5 | 12.1 | 13.4 | 13.2 | 12.0 | 11.9 | 11.3 | 11.4 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 12.2 | 11.7 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 11.8 | 10.8 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 0.0% | 17.6% | 14.3% | 7.1% | 12.5% | 14.3% | 12.5% | 0.0% | 12.5% | 0.0% | 7.7% | 7.1% | 0.0% | 14.3% | 14.3% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 22.2% | 11.1% | 62.5% | 11.1% | 10.0% | 14.3% | 37.5% | 37.5% | 50.0% | – | 14.3% | – | 42.9% | 16.7% | 28.6% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 0.4 | 0.4 | 3.8 | 0.2 | 7.6 | 9.0 | 6.0 | 16.0 | 3.8 | – | 22.1 | – | 7.1 | 0.8 | 1.9 | – |
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, 4.6% of pupils at May Bank Infants' School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate learning difficulty | 3 | 0 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 0 | 3 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 3 | 0 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 1 | 1 |
| Hearing impairment | 1 | 0 |
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 May Bank Infants' School received £7,536 and spent £7,411 for each of its 173 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £344,000 (£1,986 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £181,000 | £212,000 | £268,000 | £301,000 | £275,000 | £309,000 | £322,000 | £344,000 |
| per pupil | £1,002 | £1,198 | £1,503 | £1,689 | £1,618 | £1,849 | £1,952 | £1,986 |
| In-year balance | -£45,000 | £31,000 | £55,000 | £33,000 | -£26,000 | £34,000 | £13,000 | £22,000 |
| per pupil | -£248 | £174 | £312 | £186 | -£150 | £202 | £80 | £125 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
St Wulstan's Catholic Primary School
Church Lane, Wolstanton, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 0EF |
0.35 miles |
|
St Margaret's CofE (VC) Junior School
Knutton Road, Wolstanton, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 0HU |
0.38 miles |
|
Merryfields School
Hoon Avenue, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 9NY |
0.49 miles |
|
Hempstalls Primary School
Collard Avenue, Cross Heath, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 9LH |
0.52 miles |
|
Ellison Primary Academy
Ellison Street, Wolstanton, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 0BL |
0.65 miles |
|
Etruscan Primary School
DUNDEE ROAD, ETRURIA, STOKE-ON-TRENT, STAFFORDSHIRE, ST1 4BS |
0.85 miles |
|
Oaklands Nursery School
Oaklands Avenue, Newcastle, ST5 0EX |
0.88 miles |
|
Harpfield Primary Academy
Palmers Green, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 6AP |
0.91 miles |
|
Hassell Primary School
Barracks Road, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 1LF |
0.98 miles |
|
Phoenix Independent School
Unit C, Metro Business Park, Clough Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST1 4AF |
1.06 miles |
|
St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Silverdale Road, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 2TA |
1.1 miles |
|
St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School
North Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 7DG |
1.1 miles |
|
St Giles' and St George's Church of England Academy
St Paul's Road Off Orme Road, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 2NB |
1.27 miles |
|
Emerge School
Elgin Chambers, 22-24 Cemetery Road, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 2DL |
1.28 miles |
|
St Peter's Catholic Academy
Waterloo Road, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST6 3HL |
1.35 miles |
|
St Mark's CofE Primary School
Wood Terrace, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST1 4LR |
1.37 miles |
|
Sun Academy Bradwell
Cauldon Avenue, Bradwell, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 8JN |
1.46 miles |
|
Forest Park Primary School
Woodall Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST1 5ED |
1.46 miles |
|
Co-op Academy Friarswood
Abbots Way, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 2ES |
1.51 miles |
|
Knutton St Marys CofE Academy
Church Lane, Knutton, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 6EB |
1.52 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
The Orme Academy
Milehouse Lane, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 9JU |
0.43 miles |
|
Lyme Brook Independent School
90 King Street, Newcastle Under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 1JB |
0.64 miles |
|
Demetae Academy
17a King Street, Newcastle under Lyme, ST5 1JF |
0.67 miles |
|
Newcastle-under-Lyme School
Mount Pleasant, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1DB |
0.9 miles |
|
Kaleidoscope School
Porthill Lodge, High Street, Wolstanton, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, ST5 0EZ |
0.94 miles |
|
St John Fisher Catholic College
Ashfields New Road, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 2SJ |
0.99 miles |
|
Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group
Knutton Lane, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 2GB |
1.11 miles |
|
Blackfriars Academy
Priory Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 2TF |
1.27 miles |
|
Snowhill School
50-58 Snowhill, Shelton, Stoke On Trent, ST1 4LY |
1.31 miles |
|
The Registry
Unit E, Metro Business Park, Clough Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 4AF |
1.41 miles |
|
Edison Pace School
Wellesley Street, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST1 4NF |
1.41 miles |
|
Stoke-on-Trent College
Cauldon Campus, Stoke Road, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 2DG |
1.44 miles |
|
Coppice Academy
Abbots Way, Westlands, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 2EY |
1.54 miles |
|
Excellence Girls Academy
Crowther Street, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 2ER |
1.69 miles |
|
North Road Academy
North Road, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST6 2BP |
1.7 miles |
|
Thistley Hough Academy
Thistley Hough, Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 5JJ |
1.71 miles |
|
Alpha Learning Staffordshire
Hobson Street, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 2AW |
1.79 miles |
|
Newcastle Academy
Gallowstree Lane, The Westlands, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 2QS |
1.91 miles |
|
Chesterton Community Sports College
Castle Street, Chesterton, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 7LP |
1.92 miles |
|
City of Stoke-On-Trent Sixth Form College
Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 2RU |
1.93 miles |
All schools in Newcastle · Staffordshire local authority: places and applications
What is May Bank Infants' School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for May Bank Infants' School is Good, from an inspection in January 2024.
When was May Bank Infants' School last inspected by Ofsted?
May Bank Infants' School was last inspected in January 2024.
How many pupils does May Bank Infants' School have?
May Bank Infants' School has 173 pupils on roll.
What age range does May Bank Infants' School cover?
May Bank Infants' School for pupils aged 5 to 7.
Where is May Bank Infants' School?
May Bank Infants' School is at Basford Park Road, May Bank, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 0PT.