Barlaston CofE (VC) First School

Barlaston C of E (VC) First School has maintained a good level of performance since its previous inspection. The small, friendly environment fosters happiness and safety among pupils, who exhibit positive attitudes and strong relationships that align with the school's core values. The ambitious curriculum effectively supports all students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), enabling them to thrive academically and socially. Parents are notably supportive, with a high recommendation rate for the school. The school has successfully implemented changes to improve teaching and learning, particularly in reading and mathematics. However, there are areas for improvement, particularly in writing accuracy among older pupils, who are not receiving enough guidance or support to refine their skills. Additionally, subject leaders need to enhance their understanding of how foundation subjects are taught to ensure all areas of the curriculum meet the school’s high expectations. Despite these concerns, the overall outlook for the school remains positive, and it continues to focus on developing its pedagogical approaches to improve pupil outcomes further.

Strengths

• Pupils feel happy, safe, and supported.
• High expectations and positive attitudes foster a strong school community.
• Ambitious curriculum established with effective support for SEND pupils.
• Expert teaching in early reading leading to rapid progress.
• Strong community engagement through various activities and projects.

Areas for Improvement

• Older pupils make too many mistakes in writing due to insufficient guidance.
• Subject leaders lack a clear view of the effectiveness of foundation subject teaching.

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 Barlaston CofE (VC) First School attended 96.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.0% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Barlaston CofE (VC) First 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 Barlaston CofE (VC) First School had 14.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 4.9% 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, 6.2% of pupils at Barlaston CofE (VC) First School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.9% 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 Barlaston CofE (VC) First School received £9,232 and spent £8,979 for each of its 113 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £236,000 (-£2,091 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).

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What is Barlaston CofE (VC) First School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Barlaston CofE (VC) First School is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Barlaston CofE (VC) First School last inspected by Ofsted?

Barlaston CofE (VC) First School was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Barlaston CofE (VC) First School have?

Barlaston CofE (VC) First School has 113 pupils on roll.

What age range does Barlaston CofE (VC) First School cover?

Barlaston CofE (VC) First School for pupils aged 3 to 9.

Where is Barlaston CofE (VC) First School?

Barlaston CofE (VC) First School is at Barlaston Ce (Vc) First School, Broughton Crescent, Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST12 9DB.