Bursley Academy

Bursley Academy is a welcoming, community-minded school where pupils feel safe and relationships between staff and pupils are strong. Inspectors found the school performing at the expected standard across all evaluated areas, with safeguarding met. Leaders have improved the curriculum since the last inspection, and mathematics is a notable strength, supported by secure foundations in reading and writing and effective phonics. Attendance is typically in line with national averages, and pastoral support and personal development are particular strengths. The school is part of The Collective Vision Trust, and governance and leadership are effective, with staff well supported and parents generally positive. Early years children settle quickly and achieve well, and pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, make progress from their starting points. Inclusion systems identify needs quickly and external agencies are used well. There are still areas to refine. Behaviour for learning is not consistently positive in lessons, outdoor early years learning does not match the quality indoors, and teaching is not always adapted precisely enough for pupils with SEND or the most able. The quality of work in books varies, and some activities are not well matched to pupils’ ability. Leaders should continue to embed behaviour strategies, strengthen outdoor learning, and sharpen adaptation so all pupils make the progress they are capable of.

Strengths

• Strong, caring relationships between staff and pupils
• Welcoming, safe and community-focused school
• Mathematics teaching and number fluency are notable strengths
• Curriculum is broad, balanced and well sequenced, especially in English and mathematics
• Phonics is taught well, with effective catch-up support
• Pupils’ attendance is typically in line with the national average
• Pastoral support and nurture provision are a strength
• Pupils benefit from a wide range of enrichment opportunities
• Effective leadership and governance with high aspirations
• Inclusion systems identify needs quickly and use external support well
• Early years curriculum is well structured and children achieve well
• Pupils show respect, kindness and good conduct around school
• Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND make suitable progress from their starting points

Areas for Improvement

• Behaviour for learning is not consistently positive in lessons
• Outdoor early years learning lacks the quality of interactions and learning seen indoors
• Teaching is not always adapted precisely for pupils with SEND or the most able
• Quality of work in books is sometimes variable
• Some activities are not well matched to pupils’ ability, limiting progress
• Adults sometimes miss opportunities to deepen children’s thinking in early years
• Pupils are less able to articulate fundamental British values
• Disadvantaged pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics remains below national averages

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 Bursley Academy attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.0% 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, 0.8% of pupils at Bursley Academy 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 Bursley Academy had 25.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.9% 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, 11.8% of pupils at Bursley Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.8% 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 2024–25 Bursley Academy received £5,909 and spent £6,177 for each of its 384 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £418,000 (£1,090 per pupil).

Across all 8 schools of Collective Vision Trust, income was £7,093 and spending £7,352 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Newcastle · Staffordshire local authority: places and applications

Bursley Academy is part of Collective Vision Trust, which runs 8 schools. The nearest others:

• Chesterton Primary School Newcastle-Under-Lyme
• Churchfields Primary School Newcastle
• Crackley Bank Primary School Newcastle
• Chesterton Community Sports College Newcastle
• Woore Primary and Nursery School Crewe
• Cheswardine Primary and Nursery School Market Drayton
• Hinstock Primary School Market Drayton

What is Bursley Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bursley Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

When was Bursley Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Bursley Academy was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does Bursley Academy have?

Bursley Academy has 400 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bursley Academy cover?

Bursley Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Bursley Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Bursley Academy?

Bursley Academy is at Bursley Way, Bradwell, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 8JQ.