School Chooser

Knutton St Marys CofE Academy

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademyChurch of England168 pupilsNurseryNewcastle Under LymeStaffordshire
School Chooser Score
4
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 2 to 11
Out of 100. Better than 11% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
Reached the expected level at 1132%England 63%
Attendance93.9%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families36%Far more than most schools
Places132 spare168 pupils, 300 places
Pupils per teacher17.6School workforce census
Pupils on roll168Census January 2026

Knutton St Marys CofE Academy is a sponsored academy in Newcastle Under Lyme for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 168 pupils and room for 300. About 36 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 4 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 11% of the 50 schools most like it.

Church Lane, Knutton, Newcastle Under Lyme, ST5 6EB01782 446853ksmacademy.comMiss Carly Wright headteacherAll details

Ofsted

Ofsted hasn't published an inspection for this school yet.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1132%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score98.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score100.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 44%44%20172018: 30%30%20182019: 50%50%20192023: 57%57%20232024: 26%26%20242025: 32%32%2025
Since 2017: -12%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017StaffordshireEngland
Pupils tested252330302327
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths32%26%57%50%30%44%66%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%0%7%4%0%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score98.0101.0101.099.0100.0101.0105.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score100.0100.0100.0101.099.0100.0104.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score99.0102.0102.0102.0102.0104.0105.8105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard48%52%73%60%65%63%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard40%43%67%63%57%56%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)68%57%63%67%61%56%
Reading progressReading progress score-1.8-2.1+0.3-2.9
Maths progressMaths progress score-2.2-1.3-0.1-3.3
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged27%0%54%31%8%33%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged36%35%59%71%60%58%

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.

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. 2 of the 3 gaps are 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 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
27%36%
Gap 9 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
8%54%
Gap 46 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 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. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Plenty of spare places159 pupils for 300 places, 2024/25
53% full

141 places were empty (47% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 6% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

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.

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 roll168Census January 2026
Places30056% full
Pupils from low-income families35%36% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English23%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support29%49 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan5%8 pupils with a plan
Average class size20.97 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)42%£102,300 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls99 / 69
White British pupils63%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 18.5 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 23.3 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (27), Moderate learning difficulty (15), emotional and mental health (9), Autistic spectrum disorder (3), Severe learning difficulty (1), Specific learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll168170186195191176
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals35%37%34%37%36%40%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language23%18%12%10%6%5%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support30%31%26%16%16%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%2%0%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.9% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.9%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school20.9%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils5.32024/25, 1 permanent exclusion
Missed without permission2.6%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.1%6.9%8.3%7.6%5.8%6.3%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.6%3.9%3.8%4.0%3.5%4.3%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.6%3.0%4.5%3.6%2.3%2.0%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence20.9%20.0%25.6%26.9%15.9%20.5%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate5.315.65.13.12.8
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions11000

Staff and money

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

Teachers9.5full-time equivalent, 11 people
Pupils per teacher17.6Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants7.7full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£44,821
Teachers who left in the year17%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher7.22024/25

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£8,106England £7,128. Total £1.4m
Income per pupil£7,847England £7,587. Total £1.3m
Spent on teachers per pupil£5,018England £3,405
Money in reserve-4%In the red: -£57k, -£333 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out-£44kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£8,106spent 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 m27012 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate113 per 1,000 people24% higher than the England average
Typical house price£195,000Newcastle-under-Lyme
Nearest bus stop130 mCherry Hill Lane, 8 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
Silverdale Primary AcademyAcademy0.6 miles152Good 202363Compare
St Mary's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles444Good 202264Compare
St Giles' and St George's Church of England AcademyAcademy0.9 miles360Good 202335Compare
Hempstalls Primary SchoolAcademy1.0 miles501No overall grade 202463Compare
Westlands Primary SchoolAcademy1.1 miles204Good 202328Compare
Hassell Primary SchoolCouncil1.2 miles173Good 202328Compare
Co-op Academy FriarswoodAcademy1.2 miles214Good 202394Compare
Churchfields Primary SchoolAcademy1.3 miles391No overall grade 202530Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Knutton St Marys CofE 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.

Beats11%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 4 is 22 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 26 · highest 96100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 4 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 4% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 2 to 11. 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%well below
-0.35
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 25 pupils
Ofsted inspection0%no data
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.17
DfE progress measure; 25 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.14
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.11
2024/25; 153 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.24
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 25 pupils
What parents say0%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 Knutton St Marys CofE Academy a good school?

The figures are weak. Knutton St Marys CofE Academy scores 4 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 11% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 2 to 11, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

How good are Knutton St Marys CofE Academy's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 32% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Knutton St Marys CofE Academy have?

168 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 300 places, so it is 56% full.

Is Knutton St Marys CofE Academy oversubscribed?

Probably not. 141 places were empty in 2024/25 (47% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Knutton St Marys CofE Academy?

Pupils were in school 93.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 21% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Knutton St Marys CofE Academy?

The average class had 20.9 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
Church Lane, Knutton, Newcastle Under Lyme, ST5 6EB
Telephone
01782 446853
Website
www.ksmacademy.com
Headteacher
Miss Carly Wright
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Lichfield
Multi-academy trust
St Bart's Multi Academy Trust (23 schools)
Local authority
Staffordshire
Ward
Knutton
Constituency
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 July 2016 (new provision)
URN
142078 · LAESTAB 8602019 · UKPRN 10052507
Formerly
Knutton St Mary's Primary School

Where these figures come from