John Clare Primary School
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John Clare Primary School is a converter academy in Peterborough for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 130 pupils and room for 140. About 12 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 93 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 98% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in April 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.
West Street, Helpston, Peterborough, PE6 7DX01733 252332johnclareschool.orgMrs Sarah Nicolson headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted visited on 21 April 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.
Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 29 March 2022 | Ungraded | School remains Good |
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
22 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018† | 2017† | Peterborough | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 22 | 21 | 27 | 13 | 15 | 14 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 91% | 90% | 63% | 69% | 93% | 79% | 64% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 18% | 14% | 4% | 15% | 27% | 7% | 7% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 109.0 | 107.0 | 106.0 | 110.0 | 110.0 | 108.0 | 104.8 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 109.0 | 106.0 | 106.0 | 106.0 | 107.0 | 104.0 | 104.4 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 108.0 | 107.0 | 107.0 | 108.0 | 108.0 | 106.0 | 104.6 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 91% | 95% | 70% | 85% | 100% | 93% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 95% | 95% | 81% | 69% | 100% | 79% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 95% | 90% | 70% | 77% | 93% | 93% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -1.1 | +3.5 | -0.1 | +1.3 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +0.1 | -0.8 | -2.6 | -1.9 | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | – | – | – | – | 93% | – | – | – |
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 John Clare Primary School, the school this one replaced in January 2018. 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
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.
About 9 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 10% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.
The last child to get a place lived 2.8 miles away in 2023. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.
We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.
How places were given out for September 2026. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child chosen by how close to the school they lived, but the council didn't publish how far away that was.
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.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 27.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 26.3 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (4), emotional and mental health (4), Specific learning difficulty (4), language and communications needs (4), Moderate learning difficulty (3), Other difficulty or disability (2).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 130 | 127 | 134 | 132 | 141 | 136 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 12% | 9% | 8% | 5% | 3% | 2% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 0% | 0% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 11% | 11% | 6% | 9% | 8% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 0% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 97.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 2.9% | 3.3% | 4.0% | 5.5% | 2.6% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 2.5% | 2.9% | 3.6% | 4.9% | 2.5% | 2.9% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.1% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 3.4% | 2.6% | 6.4% | 11.8% | 2.4% | 2.0% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
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.
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
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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peakirk-Cum-Glinton Cofe Primary Academy | Academy | 2.3 miles | 197 | Requires improvement 2021 | 10 | Compare |
| Barnack CofE (Controlled) Primary School | Church of England | 2.6 miles | 180 | Good 2022 | 96 | Compare |
| Northborough Primary School | Academy | 2.8 miles | 187 | Good 2024 | 51 | Compare |
| William Law CofE Primary School | Academy | 3.2 miles | 493 | Good 2023 | 23 | Compare |
| Linchfield Academy | Academy | 3.4 miles | 294 | Good 2023 | 52 | Compare |
| William Hildyard Church of England Primary and Nursery School | Church of England | 3.5 miles | 190 | Good 2024 | 29 | Compare |
| Market Deeping Community Primary School | Council | 3.6 miles | 289 | Good 2024 | 40 | Compare |
| Deeping St James Community Primary School | Council | 3.6 miles | 199 | Good 2023 | 71 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares John Clare Primary School with the 48 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 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
No school with a similar mix of pupils within 25 km scores clearly higher.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 93 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 93% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 85 to 98. 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 at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | above | +0.19 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 22 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | above | +0.21 | Ofsted report card, 0.4 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | below | -0.07 | DfE progress measure; 22 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well above | +0.23 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | well above | +0.14 | 2024/25; 119 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | well above | +0.14 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 22 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
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 John Clare Primary School a good school?
Yes, going by the figures. John Clare Primary School scores 93 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 98% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 85 to 98, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.
What is John Clare Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 21 April 2026 it rated teaching as strong, achievement as strong, behaviour and attendance as strong, leadership as strong.
How good are John Clare Primary School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 91% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 18% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does John Clare Primary School have?
130 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 140 places, so it is 93% full.
Is John Clare Primary School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 9 places were empty in 2024/25 (6% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at John Clare Primary School?
Pupils were in school 97.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 3% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at John Clare Primary School?
The average class had 26.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 20% of classes 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
- West Street, Helpston, Peterborough, PE6 7DX
- Telephone
- 01733 252332
- Website
- www.johnclareschool.org
- Headteacher
- Mrs Sarah Nicolson
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 4-11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Multi-academy trust
- Soke Education Trust (6 schools)
- Local authority
- Peterborough
- Ward
- Barnack
- Constituency
- North West Cambridgeshire
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 January 2018 (academy converter)
- URN
- 145270 · LAESTAB 8742233 · UKPRN 10066380
- Formerly
- John Clare Primary School
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Peterborough council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2023, 2026.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.