St Matthews Church of England Academy

St Matthews Church of England Academy is performing well overall, demonstrating a strong commitment to inclusion and support for all pupils. The school has effectively established an environment where every child is welcomed and feels valued, enabling them to thrive academically and personally. Staff have high expectations and adapt lessons to ensure all children, including those with additional needs, can achieve their potential. The school’s proactive approach to improving attendance and behaviour contributes to a positive atmosphere conducive to learning. The school is part of St Chad's Academies Trust, which adds an additional layer of support and guidance, ensuring that leadership is focused on the best outcomes for pupils. However, there are areas identified for improvement, particularly regarding the consistency of high-quality teaching in writing across all year groups. While most pupils progress well, there is a need to enhance the personal development curriculum to broaden pupils’ understanding of different faiths and cultures. Overall, the school exhibits many strengths, particularly in its inclusive practices and supportive environment, which are evident in the well-being and happiness of its pupils.

Strengths

• Strong commitment to inclusion ensuring every child feels welcome and supported.
• Staff have high expectations and adapt lessons for diverse learning needs.
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Proactive attendance strategies that effectively reduce absence.
• Positive and calm school environment contributing to good behaviour.
• Strong partnerships with parents and the community.
• Well-planned early years curriculum supporting secure foundations in learning.

Areas for Improvement

• Need for consistency in high-quality teaching approaches, especially in writing.
• Opportunities for deeper understanding of different faiths and cultures in personal development curriculum.

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 Matthews Church of England Academy attended 93.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.3% 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, 1.2% of pupils at St Matthews Church of England 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 Matthews Church of England Academy had 13.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 20.7% 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, 8.8% of pupils at St Matthews Church of England Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.9% 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 2024–25 St Matthews Church of England Academy received £7,479 and spent £8,438 for each of its 84 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £56,000 (-£667 per pupil).

Across all 19 schools of St Chad'S Academies Trust, income was £6,975 and spending £7,330 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 Matthews Church of England Academy is part of St Chad'S Academies Trust, which runs 19 schools. The nearest others:

• Christ Church CofE Primary Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• Bishop Lonsdale Church of England Primary Academy Stafford
• St John's CofE Primary Academy Stafford
• Churchfield CofE Primary Academy Rugeley
• St Mary's CofE First Academy Wheaton Aston
• St James Church of England Primary Academy Rugeley
• Brewood Middle CofE Academy Stafford
• Havergal CofE (C) Primary School Wolverhampton
• All Saints National Academy Walsall
• St Peter's Church of England Primary Academy Walsall

What is St Matthews Church of England Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Matthews Church of England Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was St Matthews Church of England Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

St Matthews Church of England Academy was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does St Matthews Church of England Academy have?

St Matthews Church of England Academy has 68 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Matthews Church of England Academy cover?

St Matthews Church of England Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 56% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Matthews Church of England Academy?

St Matthews Church of England Academy is at St Matthew's Ce Academy, Lightwood Road, Rough Close, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST3 7NE.