Paulet High School

Paulet High School has demonstrated a good level of overall effectiveness, making significant strides since its first inspection. The school is known for its inclusive and harmonious atmosphere, where staff are dedicated to the well-being and academic success of their pupils. The curriculum is broad and ambitious, aimed at equipping pupils with the skills and knowledge necessary for their future endeavors. Notably, the school fosters a culture of personal development and citizenship, as evidenced by students' positive feedback about their experiences and opportunities available to them.

Strengths

• Inclusive and harmonious school environment
• High standards exemplified by shared 'Paulet Values'
• Effective support for pupil well-being and behaviour management
• Broad and ambitious curriculum with both academic and vocational subjects
• Strong emphasis on character development and extra-curricular opportunities
• Passionate and enthusiastic teaching staff
• Good support for reading and literacy development
• Positive relationships between staff and students
• Extensive careers provision with valuable information and work experience

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent adaptation of lesson activities for pupils with SEND
• Assessment strategies sometimes fail to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge
• Lack of strategic oversight by leaders regarding the impact of their 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 Paulet High School attended 92.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 23.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 7.3% of pupils at Paulet High School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 6 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 Paulet High School had 16.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 10.2% of pupils at Paulet High School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Paulet High School received £8,026 and spent £8,010 for each of its 901 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £508,000 (£564 per pupil).

Across all 20 schools of John Taylor Mat, income was £7,398 and spending £7,462 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 Burton-On-Trent · Staffordshire local authority: places and applications

Paulet High School is part of John Taylor Mat, which runs 21 schools. The nearest others:

• Winshill Village Primary and Nursery School Burton-On-Trent
• Rykneld Primary School Burton-On-Trent
• Shobnall Primary & Nursery School Burton-On-Trent
• Church Gresley Infant and Nursery School Swadlincote
• Branston Locks Primary and Nursery School Burton-On-Trent
• John Taylor Free School Burton-On-Trent
• Walton On Trent CofE Primary and Nursery School Swadlincote
• The Mosley Academy Burton-On-Trent
• Thomas Russell Infants School Burton-On-Trent
• John Taylor High School Burton-On-Trent

What is Paulet High School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Paulet High School is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Paulet High School last inspected by Ofsted?

Paulet High School was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Paulet High School have?

Paulet High School has 915 pupils on roll.

What age range does Paulet High School cover?

Paulet High School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Paulet High School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 43.7, and 35% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Paulet High School?

Paulet High School is at Violet Way, Stapenhill, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, DE15 9RT.