School Chooser

Gentleshaw Primary Academy

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademy201 pupilsNurseryRugeleyStaffordshire
School Chooser Score
36
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 18 to 60, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 4% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedNeeds attention teachingOfsted report card, January 2026
Reached the expected level at 1175%England 63%
Attendance95.7%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families5%Far fewer than most schools
Parents would recommend67%85 Parent View responses
PlacesFull201 pupils, 140 places

Gentleshaw Primary Academy is a sponsored academy in Rugeley for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 201 pupils, 61 more than it has places for. About 4 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 36 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 4% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in January 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Darlings Lane, Gentleshaw, Rugeley, WS15 4LY01543 227420gentleshaw-squirrel.comMrs Jaswinder Kaur Ashan headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 6 January 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
Needs attention
Achievement
As expected
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
As expected
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
Needs attention
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
As expected
Early years
Needs attention
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
21 September 2021Academy First Section 5Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

24 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1175%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level4%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score106.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 67%67%20172018: 50%50%20182019: 85%85%20192023: 79%79%20232024: 62%62%20242025: 75%75%2025
Since 2017: +8%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017†StaffordshireEngland
Pupils tested242629202021
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths75%62%79%85%50%67%66%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths4%4%3%0%5%5%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0104.0109.0107.0104.0107.0105.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score106.0106.0106.0105.0101.0104.0104.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0105.0107.0107.0103.0106.0105.8105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard79%69%86%90%70%81%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard96%88%86%90%60%86%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)79%81%90%85%80%76%
Reading progressReading progress score+2.5-0.4-1.5+0.8
Maths progressMaths progress score+0.0-2.3-3.0-1.4
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged50%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

† These results are for Gentleshaw Primary Academy, the school this one replaced in June 2017. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. Every gap at this school is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
73%78%
Gap 5 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Full185 pupils for 185 places, 2024/25
100% full

The school is full. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Staffordshire council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

What parents say

Would recommend the school67%England 87%
My child is happy here72%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe74%
Positive overall60%
My child is happy at this school
72%England 89%
My child feels safe at this school
74%England 90%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
55%England 83%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
26% yesEngland 18%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
18%England 50%
My child gets the right support to learn well
66%England 85%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
19% yesEngland 26%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
19%England 71%
The school communicates well with me
45%England 80%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
54%England 69%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
60%England 82%
I would recommend this school
67%England 87%
Overall view of the school is positive
60%England 82%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 85 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for primary schools with enough answers to publish.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll201Census January 2026
Places140144% full
Pupils from low-income families5%5% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English0%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support10%20 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%3 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.07 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)4%£12,400 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls106 / 95
White British pupils97%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 30.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 25.5 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (8), Moderate learning difficulty (5), language and communications needs (5), Autistic spectrum disorder (3), Multi-sensory impairment (1), Specific learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll201206197204198171
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals5%5%6%7%7%8%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language0%0%0%0%0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support14%9%10%9%9%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans0%1%2%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.7% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.7%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school8.7%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils3.42024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.1%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.3%4.8%5.8%6.3%2.3%4.0%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.2%3.3%4.4%5.1%2.0%2.8%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.1%1.5%1.4%1.3%0.3%1.2%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence8.7%10.9%13.4%14.6%2.6%6.3%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate3.41.01.03.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers7.6full-time equivalent, 10 people
Pupils per teacher26.5Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants1.9full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£43,681
Teachers who left in the year13%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.52024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£5,398England £7,128. Total £1.1m
Income per pupil£5,621England £7,587. Total £1.2m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,917England £3,405
Money in reserve13%A healthy amount put by: £152k, £736 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£46kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£5,398spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m2212 months to June 2026, mostly vehicle crime
Local crime rate36 per 1,000 people61% lower than the England average
Typical house price£310,000Lichfield
Nearest bus stop450 mIvy Lane, 2 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Boney Hay Primary AcademyAcademy1.0 miles220Not inspected11Compare
Holly Grove Primary AcademyAcademy1.3 miles293Report card 202676Compare
Chase Terrace Primary SchoolFoundation1.6 miles221Not inspected21Compare
Hazel Slade Primary AcademyAcademy1.8 miles199Good 202229Compare
Highfields Primary AcademyAcademy1.8 miles205Good 202420Compare
Fulfen Primary SchoolCouncil2.0 miles409Outstanding 202393Compare
Springhill Primary AcademyAcademy2.0 miles211Not inspected16Compare
St Joseph & St Theresa Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy2.2 miles225Good 2022Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Gentleshaw Primary Academy with the 47 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 47 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats4%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the bottom of its group. Its score of 36 is 41 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 17 · middle 77 · highest 100100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 47 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Gentleshaw Primary Academy, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Greysbrooke Primary SchoolAcademy6.0 miles200Good 202387Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 36 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 36% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 18 to 60. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%above
+0.11
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 24 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well below
-0.31
Ofsted report card, 0.7 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.10
DfE progress measure; 24 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.05
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.06
2024/25; 161 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
0.00
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 24 pupils
What parents say5%well below
-0.09
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 85 responses

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Gentleshaw Primary Academy a good school?

It is about average. Gentleshaw Primary Academy scores 36 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 4% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 18 to 60, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Gentleshaw Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 6 January 2026 it rated teaching as needs attention, achievement as as expected, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as as expected.

How good are Gentleshaw Primary Academy's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 75% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 4% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Gentleshaw Primary Academy have?

201 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 140 places, so it is 144% full.

Is Gentleshaw Primary Academy oversubscribed?

Probably. The school was full in 2024/25. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.

What is attendance like at Gentleshaw Primary Academy?

Pupils were in school 95.7% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 9% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about Gentleshaw Primary Academy?

67% of the 85 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 72% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at Gentleshaw Primary Academy?

The average class had 25.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Darlings Lane, Gentleshaw, Rugeley, WS15 4LY
Telephone
01543 227420
Website
www.gentleshaw-squirrel.com
Headteacher
Mrs Jaswinder Kaur Ashan
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Future Generation Trust (7 schools)
Local authority
Staffordshire
Ward
Longdon
Constituency
Lichfield
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 June 2017 (new provision)
URN
144604 · LAESTAB 8602028 · UKPRN 10064026
Formerly
Gentleshaw Primary Academy

Where these figures come from