Penkridge Middle School
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Penkridge Middle School is a converter academy in Stafford for boys and girls aged 9 to 13. It has 509 pupils, 9 more than it has places for. About 15 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 87 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 94% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2022.
Marsh Lane, Penkridge, Stafford, ST19 5BW01785 413400penkridge.staffs.sch.ukMr Andrew Grocutt acting head teacherAll details
What Ofsted found
A shorter visit on 22 June 2022 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.
This inspection is more than 4 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
133 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† | Staffordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 133 | 133 | 108 | 116 | 122 | 103 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 57% | 59% | 56% | 54% | 49% | 59% | 66% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 2% | 3% | 6% | 3% | 4% | 8% | 8% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 105.0 | 105.0 | 106.0 | 103.0 | 102.0 | 103.0 | 105.8 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 105.0 | 104.0 | 104.0 | 102.0 | 102.0 | 103.0 | 104.8 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 106.0 | 106.0 | 106.0 | 104.0 | 103.0 | 105.0 | 105.8 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 74% | 77% | 80% | 72% | 62% | 71% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 77% | 77% | 75% | 67% | 62% | 69% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 64% | 68% | 66% | 72% | 64% | 83% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +0.3 | -1.8 | -3.5 | -2.8 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -0.6 | -3.5 | -2.5 | -3.0 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 23% | 41% | 50% | 60% | 48% | 38% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 64% | 62% | 58% | 53% | 50% | 63% | – | – |
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 Penkridge Middle School, the school this one replaced in April 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. 1 of the 3 gaps 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
Open to all. There is no entrance test.
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 grown by 8% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.
In 2024 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.
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 2024. Every child who applied got a place.
| Entry | Got a place | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Secondary | 133 | – all offered | LA |
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.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (27), Specific learning difficulty (21), language and communications needs (16), Autistic spectrum disorder (13), Moderate learning difficulty (13), Vision impairment (2).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 509 | 500 | 481 | 492 | 461 | 462 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 15% | 17% | 15% | 14% | 12% | 12% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 1% | 1% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 17% | 16% | 15% | 12% | 12% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 4% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 3.5% | 4.4% | 5.2% | 5.4% | 4.0% | 3.9% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 2.7% | 3.1% | 3.7% | 4.6% | 3.3% | 3.2% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 0.7% | 1.3% | 1.5% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.7% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 4.0% | 6.6% | 9.3% | 12.3% | 9.3% | 7.4% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 0.4 | 4.0 | 5.7 | 4.8 | 3.9 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 1 | 2 | 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 secondary 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 secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshbrook First School | Academy | 650 m | 176 | Good 2022 | 53 | Compare |
| St Michael's CofE (A) First School | Church of England | 730 m | 148 | Report card 2026 | 60 | Compare |
| Wolgarston High School | Academy | 820 m | 847 | Report card 2026 | 67 | Compare |
| Princefield First School | Academy | 830 m | 253 | Good 2022 | 54 | Compare |
| The Haven School | Independent | 1.2 miles | 53 | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| Longridge School | Independent | 1.7 miles | 13 | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| The Rural Enterprise Academy | Free school | 1.9 miles | 217 | Report card 2026 | 32 | Compare |
| South Staffordshire College | Further education | 1.9 miles | – | Not inspected | – | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Penkridge Middle School with the 49 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 49 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 87 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 87% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 78 to 94. 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 at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 0% | no data | – | |
| Ofsted inspection | 17% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | in line | +0.04 | Ofsted grade, 4.2 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 0% | no data | – | |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well above | +0.30 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | well above | +0.48 | 2024/25; 505 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 0% | no data | – | |
| What pupils do next | 0% | no data | – | |
| 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 Penkridge Middle School a good school?
Yes, going by the figures. Penkridge Middle School scores 87 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 94% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 78 to 94, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Penkridge Middle School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Penkridge Middle School good at its last full inspection on 22 June 2022. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.
How good are Penkridge Middle School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 57% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 2% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does Penkridge Middle School have?
509 pupils aged 9 to 13 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 500 places, so it is 102% full.
Is Penkridge Middle School 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 Penkridge Middle School?
Pupils were in school 96.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 4% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Penkridge Middle School?
The average class had 26.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 6% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does Penkridge Middle School have a sixth form?
No. Pupils leave after Year 11 for a sixth form elsewhere, a college or an apprenticeship.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Marsh Lane, Penkridge, Stafford, ST19 5BW
- Telephone
- 01785 413400
- Website
- www.penkridge.staffs.sch.uk
- Acting Head Teacher
- Mr Andrew Grocutt
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- Middle school, ages 9-13
- Gender
- Mixed
- Multi-academy trust
- Penk Valley Academy Trust (7 schools)
- Local authority
- Staffordshire
- Ward
- Penkridge North & Acton Trussell
- Constituency
- Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge
- Setting
- Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 April 2018 (academy converter)
- URN
- 144206 · LAESTAB 8604128 · UKPRN 10063676
- Formerly
- Penkridge Middle 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: Staffordshire council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2024.
- 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.