The John Bamford Primary School

The John Bamford Primary School continues to perform well as a good school, demonstrating a strong commitment to inclusivity and a positive learning environment. Pupils exhibit a vibrant enthusiasm for learning, and the curriculum is ambitious, particularly in reading and early years education. The school prioritizes the well-being of its students and staff, fostering a sense of community and responsibility among pupils. However, there are some areas for improvement regarding the consistency of phonics instruction and the clarity of curriculum expectations in certain subjects.

Strengths

• Strong, inclusive ethos promoting respect and resilience
• Pupils achieve well and demonstrate a love of learning
• Ambitious and engaging curriculum from early years to Year 6
• Effective use of assessments in mixed-age classrooms
• Well-designed learning environments supporting the curriculum
• Strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development and community involvement
• Recognition for well-being initiatives for pupils and staff

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in teaching phonics across different classes
• Lack of clarity in curriculum knowledge for some foundation subjects

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 The John Bamford Primary School attended 95.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 13.0% 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, 0.3% of pupils at The John Bamford 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 The John Bamford Primary School had 17.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 22.1% 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, 20.9% of pupils at The John Bamford Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.2% 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 The John Bamford Primary School received £8,709 and spent £8,730 for each of its 268 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £500,000 (£1,865 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 Rugeley · Staffordshire local authority: places and applications

What is The John Bamford Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The John Bamford Primary School is Good, from an inspection in July 2024.

When was The John Bamford Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

The John Bamford Primary School was last inspected in July 2024.

How many pupils does The John Bamford Primary School have?

The John Bamford Primary School has 268 pupils on roll.

What age range does The John Bamford Primary School cover?

The John Bamford Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are The John Bamford Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The John Bamford Primary School?

The John Bamford Primary School is at Crabtree Way, Etching Hill, Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 2PA.