Dawley Church of England Primary Academy

Dawley Church of England Primary Academy has made significant improvements since its previous inadequate inspection. It is now rated as good in all areas, showcasing a caring environment where students feel safe and supported. Strong relationships between staff and pupils contribute to a positive school culture, grounded in high expectations for behavior linked to the school's core values. The curriculum is robust, engaging, and emphasizes both academic and personal development, allowing pupils to become active citizens in their community.

Strengths

• Pupils feel happy and well cared for in a positive school environment.
• Strong emphasis on safeguarding with rigorous procedures in place.
• High expectations for pupil behavior linked to the school's core values.
• Rich and engaging curriculum with a strong focus on personal and cultural development.
• Effective support for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) pupils.
• Ambitious approach to improving reading skills across the school.
• Well-sequenced curriculum that builds on early years learning.

Areas for Improvement

• Some curriculum areas are still being refined, causing inconsistencies in deepening pupils' knowledge.
• Too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough, impacting their learning.

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 Dawley Church of England Primary Academy attended 92.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 26.2% 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, 0.5% of pupils at Dawley Church of England 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 Dawley Church of England Primary Academy had 23.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.1% 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, 23.2% of pupils at Dawley Church of England Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.9% 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 Dawley Church of England Primary Academy received £7,573 and spent £7,517 for each of its 208 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £220,000 (£1,060 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 Telford · Telford and Wrekin local authority: places and applications

Dawley Church of England Primary Academy is part of St Chad'S Academies Trust, which runs 19 schools. The nearest others:

• St Peter's Bratton Church of England Academy Telford
• Mereside Church of England Primary Academy Shrewsbury
• St Mary's CofE First Academy Wheaton Aston
• Brewood Middle CofE Academy Stafford
• St Jude's Church of England Primary Academy Wolverhampton
• Bishop Lonsdale Church of England Primary Academy Stafford
• Trinity CofE Primary Academy Wolverhampton
• Havergal CofE (C) Primary School Wolverhampton
• St John's CofE Primary Academy Stafford
• All Saints National Academy Walsall

What is Dawley Church of England Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Dawley Church of England Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was Dawley Church of England Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Dawley Church of England Primary Academy was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does Dawley Church of England Primary Academy have?

Dawley Church of England Primary Academy has 220 pupils on roll.

What age range does Dawley Church of England Primary Academy cover?

Dawley Church of England Primary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Dawley Church of England Primary Academy?

Dawley Church of England Primary Academy is at Doseley Road North, Dawley, Telford, Shropshire, TF4 3AL.