School Chooser

St John's CofE Primary School

Primary · ages 5-11MixedAcademyChurch of England224 pupilsKidderminsterWorcestershire
School Chooser Score
11
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 6 to 21
Out of 100. Better than 20% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, January 2023
Reached the expected level at 1153%England 63%
Attendance93.6%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families39%Far more than most schools
Places196 spare224 pupils, 420 places
Pupils per teacher19.0School workforce census

St John's CofE Primary School is a sponsored academy in Kidderminster for boys and girls aged 5 to 11. It has 224 pupils and room for 420. About 39 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 11 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 20% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Blakebrook, Kidderminster, DY11 6AP01562 745558stjohns.worcs.sch.ukMrs Suzanne Finlay headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 11 January 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

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

Reached the expected level at 1153%
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 score102.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score101.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 37%37%20172018: 48%48%20182019: 64%64%20192023: 34%34%20232024: 46%46%20242025: 53%53%2025
Since 2017: +16%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure20252024202320192018†2017†WorcestershireEngland
Pupils tested475658556057
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths53%46%34%64%48%37%62%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%0%7%3%0%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score102.0102.0101.0103.0100.0102.0105.6105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score101.0103.0101.0106.0103.0102.0104.0104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0104.0101.0102.0100.0100.0104.4105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard64%59%47%71%57%61%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard77%68%60%80%78%65%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)62%63%41%71%63%42%
Reading progressReading progress score-2.7-0.8-2.9-0.2
Maths progressMaths progress score-1.9+0.9+0.7-0.9
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged37%29%27%44%30%13%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged64%57%44%73%58%46%

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 CofE Primary School, the school this one replaced in September 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. 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
37%64%
Gap 27 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
52%55%
Gap 3 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 places261 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
62% full

159 places were empty (38% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 21% 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.

EntryPlacesHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary30all offeredLA
2025 Primary60all offeredLA
2024 Primary60all offeredLA
2023 Primary60all offeredLA
2022 Primary60all offeredLA
2021 Primary60all offeredLA
2020 Primary60all 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 roll224Census January 2026
Places42053% full
Pupils from low-income families39%39% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English16%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support22%50 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%5 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.07 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils14%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)37%£124,000 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls113 / 111
White British pupils79%

Specialist SEND provision. SEN unit with 0 pupils, for speech, language and communication.

To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Worcestershire with speech, language and communication provision.

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 23.5 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 25.6 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (41), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (4), emotional and mental health (4), Autistic spectrum disorder (2), Specific learning difficulty (2), Moderate learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll224255271315334347
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals39%35%35%36%34%33%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language16%12%10%10%9%9%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support21%16%24%17%16%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%2%2%2%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.6%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school18.1%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils9.42024/25, 1 permanent exclusion
Missed without permission1.9%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.4%7.5%8.0%7.6%4.3%5.0%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.5%5.1%5.4%5.2%2.5%3.5%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.9%2.5%2.6%2.4%1.8%1.6%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence18.1%24.5%28.1%25.7%13.4%16.6%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate9.410.77.63.64.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions12110

Staff and money

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

Teachers11.8full-time equivalent, 15 people
Pupils per teacher19.0Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants9.2full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£52,679
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.42024/25

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£6,504England £7,128. Total £1.7m
Income per pupil£7,430England £7,587. Total £1.9m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,559England £3,405
Money in reserve29%A lot put by: £549k, £2,143 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£237kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,504spent 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 m44812 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate105 per 1,000 people16% higher than the England average
Typical house price£253,000Wyre Forest
Nearest bus stop220 mBlakebrook Slip Road, 11 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
Sutton Park Primary SchoolAcademy890 m233Outstanding 202387Compare
Franche Primary SchoolCouncil0.7 miles726No overall grade 202521Compare
St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary SchoolChurch of England0.7 miles417Good 202268Compare
Foley Park Primary AcademyAcademy0.8 miles219Good 202411Compare
St Mary's CofE (VA) Primary SchoolChurch of England1.0 miles212No overall grade 202514Compare
St George's CofE SchoolAcademy1.0 miles223Good 202430Compare
St Ambrose Catholic PrimaryAcademy1.1 miles207Good 202250Compare
Holy Trinity SchoolFree school1.1 miles723Good 202237Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St John's CofE Primary 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.

Beats20%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 11 is 22 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 34 · highest 90100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 11 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 11% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 6 to 21. 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
-0.22
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 47 pupils
Ofsted inspection18% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.7 years old
Progress pupils make20%well below
-0.29
DfE progress measure; 47 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.06
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.08
2024/25; 238 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.11
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 47 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 CofE Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. St John's CofE Primary School scores 11 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 20% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 6 to 21, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is St John's CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St John's CofE Primary School good at its last full inspection on 11 January 2023.

How good are St John's CofE Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 53% 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 St John's CofE Primary School have?

224 pupils aged 5 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 420 places, so it is 53% full.

Is St John's CofE Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 159 places were empty in 2024/25 (38% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at St John's CofE Primary School?

Pupils were in school 93.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 18% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St John's CofE Primary School?

The average class had 25.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 14% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does St John's CofE Primary School have specialist SEND provision?

Yes. It has sen unit for speech, language and communication. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.

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

Contact and details

Address
Blakebrook, Kidderminster, DY11 6AP
Telephone
01562 745558
Website
www.stjohns.worcs.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Suzanne Finlay
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 5-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Worcester
Multi-academy trust
The Spire Church of England Learning Trust (6 schools)
Local authority
Worcestershire
Ward
Blakebrook & Habberley South
Constituency
Wyre Forest
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2018 (new provision)
URN
144999 · LAESTAB 8852024 · UKPRN 10065142
Formerly
St John's CofE Primary School

Where these figures come from