Horton St Michael's CofE First School

Horton St Michael’s CofE First School is performing well, achieving a 'Good' overall effectiveness rating in its first inspection under the Education Act 2005. The school fosters a nurturing environment with strong community ties, supported by dedicated staff who know their pupils and families well. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, generally achieve well and enjoy a broad curriculum that promotes awareness of different cultures and beliefs. The recent changes in senior leadership have positively influenced the school, contributing to an ambitious outlook for educational improvement.

Strengths

• Strong sense of community and team spirit.
• Ambitious curriculum that prepares pupils well for modern life.
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs.
• Commitment to improving reading and literacy across the curriculum.
• Well-matched books and materials enhance learning.
• Positive school culture where pupils feel safe and happy.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent use of assessment to inform teaching and adapt curriculum delivery.
• Insufficient expectations for handwriting and presentation of work.

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 Horton St Michael's CofE First School attended 94.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.5% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Horton St Michael's CofE First School 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 Horton St Michael's CofE First School had 13.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.2% 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, 13.0% of pupils at Horton St Michael's CofE First School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.7% 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 Horton St Michael's CofE First School received £10,174 and spent £9,403 for each of its 64 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £67,000 (£1,049 per pupil).

Across all 21 schools of Staffordshire University Academies Trust, income was £7,351 and spending £7,265 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 Leek · Staffordshire local authority: places and applications

Horton St Michael's CofE First School is part of Staffordshire University Academies Trust, which runs 21 schools. The nearest others:

• St Luke's CofE Academy Endon Stoke-On-Trent
• St Edward's CofE Academy Cheddleton Leek
• Westlands Primary School Newcastle-Under-Lyme
• St Peter's CofE Academy Alton Stoke-On-Trent
• All Saints CofE Academy Denstone Uttoxeter
• Dove CofE Academy Uttoxeter
• Tynsel Parkes CofE Primary Academy Uttoxeter
• John Wheeldon Primary Academy Stafford
• St Augustine's CofE Academy Ashbourne
• St Leonard's CofE First School Stafford

What is Horton St Michael's CofE First School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Horton St Michael's CofE First School is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was Horton St Michael's CofE First School last inspected by Ofsted?

Horton St Michael's CofE First School was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does Horton St Michael's CofE First School have?

Horton St Michael's CofE First School has 54 pupils on roll.

What age range does Horton St Michael's CofE First School cover?

Horton St Michael's CofE First School for pupils aged 5 to 9.

Where is Horton St Michael's CofE First School?

Horton St Michael's CofE First School is at Horton, Leek, Staffordshire, ST13 8RU.