School Chooser

St John's Church of England Primary School, Lacey Green

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademyChurch of England215 pupilsPrinces RisboroughBuckinghamshire
School Chooser Score
90
Well above
similar schools
Likely range 80 to 96
Out of 100. Better than 79% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedStrong teachingOfsted report card, June 2026
Reached the expected level at 1180%England 63%
Attendance96.1%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families7%Far fewer than most schools
Places55 spare215 pupils, 270 places
Pupils per teacher26.9School workforce census

St John's Church of England Primary School, Lacey Green is a converter academy in Princes Risborough for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 215 pupils and room for 270. About 6 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 90 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 79% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in June 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Main Road, Lacey Green, Princes Risborough, HP27 0PL01844 343521stjohnsce.orgMrs Rebecca Wright headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 16 June 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”
Strong
Achievement
Strong
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
Strong
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
Strong
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
Strong
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
Strong
Early years
Strong
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
28 April 2022UngradedSchool remains Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1180%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level17%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score110.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score107.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 66%66%20172018: 71%71%20182019: 74%74%20192023: 77%77%20232024: 68%68%20242025: 80%80%2025
Since 2017: +14%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure20252024202320192018†2017†BuckinghamshireEngland
Pupils tested303135393841
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths80%68%77%74%71%66%67%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths17%16%23%10%18%7%11%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score110.0107.0108.0107.0108.0108.0107.2105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score107.0107.0107.0107.0106.0107.0105.7104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score106.0105.0107.0107.0107.0108.0106.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard90%84%91%87%84%80%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard90%84%86%85%74%80%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)80%84%83%77%79%66%
Reading progressReading progress score+1.3+0.6+1.1+2.3
Maths progressMaths progress score+0.8-0.9+0.2+0.6

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 St John's Church of England (VA) Combined School, Lacey Green, the school this one replaced in February 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. 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
72%92%
Gap 20 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 places204 pupils for 270 places, 2024/25
76% full

66 places were empty (24% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 10% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 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 2026. Every child who applied got a place.

EntryPlacesApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary30all offeredLA
2025 Primary30all offeredLA
2024 Primary3059all offeredLA
2023 Primary2.7 milesLA
2022 Primaryall offeredLA
2021 Primaryall offeredLA

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 roll215Census January 2026
Places27080% full
Pupils from low-income families7%7% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English4%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support21%45 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan1%2 pupils with a plan
Average class size27.07 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils43%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)6%£18,600 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls113 / 102
White British pupils84%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 26.2 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (21), language and communications needs (8), Autistic spectrum disorder (6), emotional and mental health (5), Specific learning difficulty (5), Other difficulty or disability (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll215201198201220227
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals7%7%8%3%4%4%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language4%4%5%6%5%7%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support18%19%14%12%12%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%2%2%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.1%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school7.8%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.7%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.9%3.9%3.7%5.2%2.5%4.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.2%3.0%3.1%4.6%2.1%3.3%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.7%0.9%0.6%0.6%0.4%0.9%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence7.8%8.7%4.2%9.2%3.4%8.6%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.00.00.00.4
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers8.0full-time equivalent, 10 people
Pupils per teacher26.9Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants4.7full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£47,815
Teachers who left in the year20%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher1.52024/25

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£5,512England £7,128. Total £1.1m
Income per pupil£5,811England £7,587. Total £1.2m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,229England £3,405
Money in reserve10%A healthy amount put by: £121k, £603 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£60kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£5,512spent 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 m812 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate27 per 1,000 people70% lower than the England average
Typical house price£455,000Buckinghamshire
Nearest bus stop110 mSt John's School, 4 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
Speen CofE VA SchoolChurch of England0.9 miles44Not inspectedCompare
Naphill and Walters Ash SchoolCouncil1.3 miles259Good 202370Compare
Bledlow Ridge SchoolCouncil2.2 miles177Good 202379Compare
Princes Risborough Primary SchoolAcademy2.7 miles224Good 202342Compare
Hughenden Primary SchoolAcademy2.8 miles201Good 202251Compare
Monks Risborough CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England2.8 miles216Report card 202656Compare
Prestwood Junior SchoolAcademy3.0 miles142Not inspected67Compare
Prestwood Infant SchoolAcademy3.0 miles156No overall grade 202555Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St John's Church of England Primary School, Lacey Green 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.

Beats79%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the top quarter of its group. Its score of 90 is 10 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 15 · middle 80 · highest 99100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 90 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 90% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 80 to 96. 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
+0.22
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 30 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%above
+0.21
Ofsted report card, 0.2 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.07
DfE progress measure; 30 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
+0.00
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.09
2024/25; 180 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.10
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 30 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 St John's Church of England Primary School, Lacey Green a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. St John's Church of England Primary School, Lacey Green scores 90 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 79% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 80 to 96, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is St John's Church of England Primary School, Lacey Green's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 16 June 2026 it rated teaching as strong, achievement as strong, behaviour and attendance as strong, leadership as strong.

How good are St John's Church of England Primary School, Lacey Green's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 80% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 17% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St John's Church of England Primary School, Lacey Green have?

215 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 270 places, so it is 80% full.

Is St John's Church of England Primary School, Lacey Green oversubscribed?

Probably not. 66 places were empty in 2024/25 (24% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at St John's Church of England Primary School, Lacey Green?

Pupils were in school 96.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 8% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St John's Church of England Primary School, Lacey Green?

The average class had 27.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 43% 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
Main Road, Lacey Green, Princes Risborough, HP27 0PL
Telephone
01844 343521
Website
www.stjohnsce.org
Headteacher
Mrs Rebecca Wright
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Oxford
Multi-academy trust
Oxford Diocesan Bucks Schools Trust (15 schools)
Local authority
Buckinghamshire
Ward
Ridgeway West
Constituency
Mid Buckinghamshire
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 February 2018 (academy converter)
URN
145422 · LAESTAB 8253336 · UKPRN 10066644
Formerly
St John's Church of England (VA) Combined School, Lacey Green

Where these figures come from