Harpfield Primary Academy

Harpfield Primary Academy is demonstrating significant improvement in its performance since the last inspection, with evidence suggesting that the school has enhanced its educational offerings considerably. The school, which follows the 'Harpfield way,' is characterized by a strong sense of community and a clear ethos focused on student achievement and behavior. A well-structured and ambitious curriculum has been developed, helping pupils, including those with SEND, to make rapid progress in their learning. This enriching environment is complemented by extensive extracurricular activities that cater to a wide range of interests, significantly contributing to pupil development.

Strengths

• Friendly and welcoming school environment with a strong family ethos.
• Ambitious and engaging curriculum that connects subjects and builds knowledge systematically.
• Expert support for pupils with SEND, ensuring equal access to the curriculum.
• High commitment to promoting reading, resulting in fluent readers by key stage 2.
• Strong personal development programs focusing on mental health and well-being.
• Effective leadership and support from the Creative Education Trust.

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 Harpfield Primary Academy attended 96.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.1% 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, 0.9% of pupils at Harpfield Primary 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 Harpfield Primary Academy had 20.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.8% 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, 10.2% of pupils at Harpfield Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% 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 Harpfield Primary Academy received £7,285 and spent £7,097 for each of its 227 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £163,000 (£719 per pupil).

Across all 17 schools of Creative Education Trust, income was £8,557 and spending £8,500 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 Stoke-On-Trent · Stoke-on-Trent local authority: places and applications

Harpfield Primary Academy is part of Creative Education Trust, which runs 17 schools. The nearest others:

• Thistley Hough Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• The Hart School Rugeley
• Three Peaks Primary Academy Tamworth
• The Bulwell Academy Nottingham
• Ellis Guilford School Nottingham
• Ash Green School Coventry
• Queen Eleanor Primary Academy Northampton
• Abbeyfield School Northampton
• Weavers Academy Wellingborough
• Wrenn School Wellingborough

What is Harpfield Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Harpfield Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Harpfield Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Harpfield Primary Academy was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Harpfield Primary Academy have?

Harpfield Primary Academy has 226 pupils on roll.

What age range does Harpfield Primary Academy cover?

Harpfield Primary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Harpfield Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Harpfield Primary Academy?

Harpfield Primary Academy is at Palmers Green, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 6AP.