Coaley Church of England Primary Academy

Coaley Church of England Primary Academy is a small, inclusive church school in the Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust. It is performing strongly overall: pupils achieve very well across subjects, key stage 2 attainment is typically above national averages, attendance is high, behaviour is calm and respectful, and pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils are well supported. Leaders, governors and trustees know the school well, staff feel supported, and safeguarding arrangements meet requirements. The school’s small size and well-above-average proportion of pupils receiving SEN support are important context; disadvantaged pupils make accelerated progress and most leave Year 6 well prepared. Curriculum and teaching, and early years, are solid rather than consistently strong. Teaching is generally effective and reading is a particular strength, but expectations and precision vary between classes, so some pupils do not progress as much as they could. In early years, staff interactions are sometimes not effective enough at developing children’s language, and teaching expectations are not yet fully embedded. Leaders’ next step is to ensure recently introduced evidence-based teaching approaches are embedded and used consistently by all staff.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve very well across the curriculum, with key stage 2 attainment typically above national averages.
• Reading is a strength, with skilled phonics support helping pupils catch up quickly.
• Pupils with SEND make steady progress because support is sharply focused and individualised.
• Disadvantaged pupils make accelerated progress and are well prepared for secondary school.
• Attendance is high, and leaders act quickly and sensitively to remove barriers.
• Behaviour is calm and orderly, bullying is rare, and pupils treat others with respect.
• The school is inclusive, identifying needs accurately and adapting teaching seamlessly.
• Leadership, governance and trust oversight are accurate and effective, with timely action on weaknesses.
• Staff feel supported, receive strong professional development, and are proud to work at the school.
• Personal development is broad, with a coherent curriculum, pastoral support, trips, clubs and leadership opportunities.
• Early years provides a positive start, with recent outdoor improvements supporting physical development.
• Safeguarding standards are met, and pupils feel safe.

Areas for Improvement

• Teaching precision and expectations vary across classes, so some pupils do not progress as much as they could.
• Early years staff interactions are not consistently effective in developing children’s language.
• Early years teaching and learning expectations are not yet fully embedded.
• Recently introduced evidence-based teaching approaches are not yet used consistently by all staff.

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 Coaley Church of England Primary Academy attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.0% 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, 1.3% of pupils at Coaley 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 Coaley Church of England Primary Academy had 19.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 25.0% 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, 25.6% of pupils at Coaley Church of England Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.5% 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 Coaley Church of England Primary Academy received £7,786 and spent £7,287 for each of its 79 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £50,000 (£637 per pupil).

Across all 25 schools of The Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust, income was £6,887 and spending £6,916 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 Dursley · Gloucestershire local authority: places and applications

Coaley Church of England Primary Academy is part of The Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust, which runs 25 schools. The nearest others:

• Dursley Church of England Primary Academy Dursley
• St Matthew's Church of England Primary School Stroud
• Lakefield CofE Primary School Gloucester
• Amberley Parochial School Stroud
• Whiteshill Primary School Stroud
• Minchinhampton Primary Academy Stroud
• Longney Church of England Primary Academy Gloucester
• Hardwicke Parochial Primary Academy Gloucester
• Field Court Church of England Infant Academy Gloucester
• Clearwater Church of England Primary Academy Gloucester

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

The latest Ofsted rating for Coaley Church of England Primary Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

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

Coaley Church of England Primary Academy was last inspected in October 2026.

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

Coaley Church of England Primary Academy has 86 pupils on roll.

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

Coaley Church of England Primary Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 100% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Coaley Church of England Primary Academy?

Coaley Church of England Primary Academy is at The Street, Coaley, Dursley, GL11 5EB.