School Chooser

Sir John Offley CofE (VC) Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedChurch of England143 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubCreweStaffordshire
School Chooser Score
30
Below
similar schools
Likely range 13 to 58, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 48% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, February 2023
Reached the expected level at 1160%England 63%
Attendance94.2%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families33%A bit more than most schools
Places32 spare143 pupils, 175 places
Pupils per teacher19.6School workforce census

Sir John Offley CofE (VC) Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary controlled) in Crewe for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 143 pupils and room for 175. About 33 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 30 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 48% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Izaak Walton Way, Madeley, Crewe, CW3 9PJ01782 750301sirjohnoffley.co.ukMrs Lindsey Brown headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 2 February 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1160%
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 score104.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 44%44%20172018: 63%63%20182019: 83%83%20192023: 71%71%20232024: 72%72%20242025: 60%60%2025
Since 2017: +16%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017StaffordshireEngland
Pupils tested201824182416
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths60%72%71%83%63%44%66%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%4%11%0%6%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0102.0106.0108.0104.0100.0105.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0101.0102.0106.0103.0102.0104.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score102.0104.0104.0108.0104.0104.0105.8105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard75%78%88%100%75%50%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard75%78%83%100%83%69%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)70%78%71%83%75%75%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.1+2.4-2.7-0.8
Maths progressMaths progress score-1.4+0.0-2.9+0.7
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged67%75%50%14%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged78%90%67%67%

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. None of the 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

Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
54%71%
Gap 17 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. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Plenty of spare places143 pupils for 175 places, 2024/25
82% full

32 places were empty (18% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 3% 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 roll143Census January 2026
Places17582% full
Pupils from low-income families33%33% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English2%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support17%24 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan1%1 pupil with a plan
Average class size23.86 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)32%£71,300 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls73 / 70
White British pupils90%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 21.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 24.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (9), language and communications needs (9), emotional and mental health (2), Hearing impairment (1), Physical disability (1), Severe learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll143144141147148145
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals33%31%30%27%30%28%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language2%2%1%2%2%3%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support17%16%15%14%13%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans1%2%3%3%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.2%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school10.7%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.4%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.8%6.0%5.8%6.4%3.6%4.7%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence5.4%5.8%5.6%6.0%3.3%4.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.4%0.3%0.2%0.5%0.2%0.3%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence10.7%10.4%17.5%17.8%9.4%11.0%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.01.40.00.70.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions01000

Staff and money

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

Teachers7.3full-time equivalent, 8 people
Pupils per teacher19.6Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants1.0full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£53,328
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.42023/24

Money

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

Spend per pupil£7,352England £7,738. Total £1.1m
Income per pupil£7,210England £7,697. Total £1.0m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,550England £3,480
Money in reserve19%A healthy amount put by: £193k, £1,338 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£20kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£7,352spent 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 m9112 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate54 per 1,000 people41% lower than the England average
Typical house price£195,000Newcastle-under-Lyme
Nearest bus stop80 mJohn Offley Road, 10 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
The Meadows Primary SchoolAcademy1.0 miles107Outstanding 202490Compare
St John's CofE Primary AcademyAcademy2.4 miles155Requires improvement 20231Compare
Betley CofE VC Primary SchoolChurch of England2.8 miles100No overall grade 202441Compare
St Luke's CofE (C) Primary SchoolChurch of England2.8 miles197No overall grade 20256Compare
Woore Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy2.9 miles81Good 2023Compare
Baldwins Gate CofE(VC) Primary SchoolChurch of England3.0 miles188Good 202293Compare
Alsagers Bank Primary AcademyAcademy3.3 miles178Not inspected75Compare
Bridgemere CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England3.3 miles94Good 202480Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Sir John Offley CofE (VC) 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.

Beats48%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 30 is about the same as the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 3 · middle 33 · highest 75100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 30 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 30% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 13 to 58. 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%below
-0.10
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 20 pupils
Ofsted inspection19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.07
DfE progress measure; 20 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.08
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
-0.01
2024/25; 121 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
+0.01
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 20 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 Sir John Offley CofE (VC) Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Sir John Offley CofE (VC) Primary School scores 30 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 48% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 13 to 58, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Sir John Offley CofE (VC) Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Sir John Offley CofE (VC) Primary School good at its last full inspection on 2 February 2023.

How good are Sir John Offley CofE (VC) Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 60% 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 Sir John Offley CofE (VC) Primary School have?

143 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 175 places, so it is 82% full.

Is Sir John Offley CofE (VC) Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 32 places were empty in 2024/25 (18% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Sir John Offley CofE (VC) Primary School?

Pupils were in school 94.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 11% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Sir John Offley CofE (VC) Primary School?

The average class had 23.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does Sir John Offley CofE (VC) Primary School have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

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

Contact and details

Address
Izaak Walton Way, Madeley, Crewe, CW3 9PJ
Telephone
01782 750301
Website
www.sirjohnoffley.co.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Lindsey Brown
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary controlled) (Voluntary controlled school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Lichfield
Local authority
Staffordshire
Ward
Madeley & Betley
Constituency
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
124289 · LAESTAB 8603136 · UKPRN 10079337

Where these figures come from