St Peter's Catholic Academy

St Peter’s Catholic Academy is a highly effective, happy and inclusive primary school where pupils thrive. This was its first routine section 5 inspection, and inspectors found exceptional provision across the curriculum, behaviour, personal development, leadership and early years. The school has converted to academy status within Newman Catholic Collegiate, and the principal has been in post since January 2024; previously the school was judged outstanding as a primary school before conversion. The school’s work is driven by a clear commitment to doing what is best for children. A highly ambitious curriculum starts in Nursery and builds securely through the school, with strong early years provision, excellent teaching and rapid pupil progress. Pupils with SEND are identified early and supported very well, reading is taught exceptionally, and pupils’ behaviour and attendance are exemplary. Personal development is exceptionally broad, and pupils are kind, respectful and well prepared for their next steps. Leadership is strong, with governors and trustees knowing the school well and staff feeling valued and well supported. Parents trust the school, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Inspectors identified no areas of concern in this inspection.

Strengths

• Highly ambitious curriculum designed to meet the needs of all pupils from Nursery onwards
• Strong early years provision prepares children well for Year 1 and beyond
• Teachers have excellent subject knowledge and well-developed teaching skills
• Pupils make rapid progress from their starting points across the curriculum
• Pupils with SEND are identified early and supported very effectively
• Reading is taught exceptionally well, with pupils developing fluency and comprehension
• Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary in lessons and around the school
• Attendance is high because pupils want to come to school
• Personal development is exceptionally broad, with rich opportunities, visits and clubs
• Pupils contribute to their community and develop into kind, considerate individuals
• Governors and trustees know the school very well and work effectively with leaders
• Staff feel valued and supported, with high-quality professional development
• The school communicates exceptionally well with parents
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

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 St Peter's Catholic Academy attended 93.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 18.3% 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, 2.1% of pupils at St Peter's Catholic 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 St Peter's Catholic Academy had 22.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 32.3% 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, 18.1% of pupils at St Peter's Catholic Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.4% 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 St Peter's Catholic Academy received £7,397 and spent £7,218 for each of its 238 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £134,000 (£562 per pupil).

Across all 56 schools of St Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, income was £7,565 and spending £7,594 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

St Peter's Catholic Academy is part of St Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 64 schools. The nearest others:

• St George and St Martin's Catholic Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• St Wulstan's Catholic Primary School Newcastle
• St Wilfrid's Catholic Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School Stoke-On-Trent
• St Marys Catholic Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• Our Lady and St Benedict Catholic Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• St John Fisher Catholic College Newcastle Under Lyme
• St Mary's Catholic Primary School Newcastle Under Lyme
• St Maria Goretti Catholic Academy Stoke-On-Trent

What is St Peter's Catholic Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Peter's Catholic Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was St Peter's Catholic Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

St Peter's Catholic Academy was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does St Peter's Catholic Academy have?

St Peter's Catholic Academy has 238 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Peter's Catholic Academy cover?

St Peter's Catholic Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St Peter's Catholic Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 53% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Peter's Catholic Academy?

St Peter's Catholic Academy is at Waterloo Road, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST6 3HL.