Church Eaton Primary School

Church Eaton Primary School is a very small school of 73 pupils, part of Staffordshire University Academies Trust. Following its July 2026 inspection, safeguarding standards are met. The school is performing at the expected standard overall, with particularly strong provision in attendance and behaviour, inclusion, and leadership and governance. Leaders have made significant progress since the last inspection and have a clear, accurate understanding of priorities, supported well by the trust and governors. Pupils are happy, safe and ready to learn in a calm, orderly environment. Relationships are warm and nurturing, bullying is rare, and older pupils are positive role models. The school's inclusive 'same destination, different route' approach ensures vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils are well supported, and phonics teaching is a strength. Early years provision is a highlight, with a sharp focus on language and communication, and personal development is well embedded through a broad enrichment offer and the 'Personal Passport'. However, some areas remain at the expected standard. Misconceptions in basic skills, particularly handwriting and spelling, are not always identified quickly and gaps are not consistently addressed across all subjects. Early years could more consistently prepare children for the next stage, especially in transcription and writing. Pupils' understanding of different faiths and religions, and their role in modern Britain, is less secure. Very small cohorts also mean that individual absences can significantly affect attendance rates and that published outcomes fluctuate.

Strengths

• Pupils love coming to school and attend regularly despite the challenges of very small cohorts.
• The school is calm, orderly and purposeful, with high expectations consistently met.
• Relationships between staff and pupils are warm, nurturing and trusting.
• Pupils feel safe and bullying is rare.
• Inclusion is a strength, with a 'same destination, different route' culture that meets individual needs.
• Vulnerable pupils and disadvantaged pupils are well supported and make improving progress.
• Phonics teaching is a strength, with above-average phonics screening outcomes.
• Early years provision prioritises language and communication and is well matched to children's needs.
• The curriculum is ambitious and carefully sequenced, with a consistent teaching approach.
• Staff are well supported with high-quality professional development and feel valued.
• Leadership and governance are strong, with effective trust support and robust challenge.
• Personal development is well embedded, including the 'Personal Passport' and a wide range of enrichment activities.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture.

Areas for Improvement

• Misconceptions in basic skills, particularly handwriting and spelling, are not always identified quickly.
• Gaps in learning are not consistently addressed across all subjects.
• In some subjects, pupils do not consistently apply and practise basic skills.
• Early years provision could more consistently prepare children for the next stage, especially in transcription and writing.
• Pupils' understanding of different faiths and religions, and their role in modern Britain, is less secure.
• Handwriting and spelling are less secure, and the impact of the new programme is not yet fully seen.
• Very small cohorts mean one pupil absence can significantly affect attendance and persistent absence rates.
• Published outcomes in mathematics and combined reading, writing and mathematics have been below national average in some recent years.

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 Church Eaton Primary School attended 94.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.6% 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 Church Eaton Primary 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 Church Eaton Primary School had 12.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 20.0% 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, 20.6% of pupils at Church Eaton Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.2% 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 Church Eaton Primary School received £9,451 and spent £8,757 for each of its 73 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £166,000 (£2,280 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 Stafford · Staffordshire local authority: places and applications

Church Eaton Primary School is part of Staffordshire University Academies Trust, which runs 21 schools. The nearest others:

• St Leonard's CofE First School Stafford
• John Wheeldon Primary Academy Stafford
• All Saints CofE Primary School, Bednall Stafford
• St Paul's CofE First School Wolverhampton
• Littleton Green Community School Cannock
• Staffordshire University Academy Cannock
• Perton Primary Academy Wolverhampton
• Boney Hay Primary Academy Burntwood
• Westlands Primary School Newcastle-Under-Lyme
• Charnwood Primary Academy Lichfield

What is Church Eaton Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Church Eaton Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Church Eaton Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Church Eaton Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Church Eaton Primary School have?

Church Eaton Primary School has 63 pupils on roll.

What age range does Church Eaton Primary School cover?

Church Eaton Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Church Eaton Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Church Eaton Primary School?

Church Eaton Primary School is at High Street, Church Eaton, Stafford, Staffordshire, ST20 0AG.