Stretton Church of England Academy

Stretton Church of England Academy is a friendly, extremely inclusive and nurturing school where pupils feel safe and are well cared for. Leaders have made positive changes during a period of instability, including a complete overhaul of the curriculum, improved attendance procedures and earlier identification of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has strong ambition for pupils and provides a wide range of enrichment opportunities, and pupils’ personal development is a notable strength. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. The quality of education is not yet consistently strong. Although the curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced, it is not always implemented effectively, including in the early years. Some learning activities do not build on prior learning or help pupils remember what they have been taught, so some pupils do not develop the depth of knowledge and subject-specific vocabulary they need. Behaviour has improved and most pupils behave well, but low-level disruption is not always picked up consistently by adults, including in the early years. Trust leaders, trustees and governors provide effective support and challenge, and staff feel valued. The school has strengthened reading, attendance and SEND support. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since 2015, when it was judged outstanding and was subsequently exempt from routine inspection. The current headteacher and two assistant headteachers took up their posts in September 2024.

Strengths

• Friendly, extremely inclusive and nurturing school where pupils feel safe.
• Strong ambition for all pupils to achieve the knowledge and skills they need.
• Well-sequenced curriculum from early years to Year 6.
• Reading is a priority, with phonics starting in Reception and swift support for pupils who fall behind.
• SEND identification and assessment have been strengthened, and most pupils with SEND are well supported.
• The Nest provision gives vulnerable pupils a safe environment in which to flourish.
• Attendance has improved through robust procedures and effective work with families.
• A wide range of trips, visitors and extra-curricular clubs develops pupils’ talents and interests.
• Pupils have a strong understanding of the school’s values, fundamental British values and how to stay safe.
• Trustees and governors provide effective support and challenge.
• Leaders prioritise staff well-being and workload, and staff feel valued.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum implementation is inconsistent, including in the early years.
• Some learning activities do not build on prior learning or help pupils remember learning over time.
• Some pupils do not develop a firm enough understanding of important concepts and subject-specific vocabulary.
• Some teachers lack the expertise to plan activities that meet the ambitious aims of the curriculum.
• Low-level disruptive behaviour is not consistently picked up by adults.
• Some pupils remain off task and do not complete their work.
• The behaviour policy is not applied consistently, including in the early years.
• Staff do not always have high enough expectations for pupils to listen and participate.

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 Stretton Church of England Academy attended 93.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.7% 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, 5.2% of pupils at Stretton Church of England Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Stretton Church of England Academy had 19.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 18.9% 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, 29.8% of pupils at Stretton Church of England Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.7% 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 Stretton Church of England Academy received £7,562 and spent £7,137 for each of its 212 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £82,000 (£386 per pupil).

Across all 22 schools of The Diocese of Coventry Multi-Academy Trust, income was £7,560 and spending £7,478 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 Coventry · Coventry local authority: places and applications

Stretton Church of England Academy is part of The Diocese of Coventry Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 22 schools. The nearest others:

• St Bartholomew's Church of England Academy Coventry
• Ryton-On-Dunsmore Provost Williams Church of England Academy Coventry
• St Laurences CofE Primary School Coventry
• St John's Church of England Academy Coventry
• Leigh Church of England Academy Coventry
• Burton Green Church of England Academy Kenilworth
• All Saints Bedworth CofE Academy Bedworth
• All Saints Church of England Academy Warwick
• St Michael's Church of England Academy Bedworth
• St James' CofE Academy Bedworth

What is Stretton Church of England Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Stretton Church of England Academy is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Stretton Church of England Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Stretton Church of England Academy was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Stretton Church of England Academy have?

Stretton Church of England Academy has 208 pupils on roll.

What age range does Stretton Church of England Academy cover?

Stretton Church of England Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Stretton Church of England Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 23% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Stretton Church of England Academy?

Stretton Church of England Academy is at Stretton Avenue, Willenhall, Coventry, West Midlands, CV3 3AE.