School Chooser

St Luke's CofE (C) Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedChurch of England197 pupilsNewcastleStaffordshire
School Chooser Score
6
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 3 to 15
Out of 100. Better than 8% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, June 2025
Reached the expected level at 1135%England 63%
Attendance92.9%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families33%A bit more than most schools
Places13 spare197 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher17.1School workforce census

St Luke's CofE (C) Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary controlled) in Newcastle for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 197 pupils and room for 210. About 33 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 6 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 8% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

Pepper Street, Silverdale, Newcastle, ST5 6QJ01782 973865st-lukes-silverdale.staffs.sch.ukMrs Sam Ray headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 10 June 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

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

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

Reached the expected level at 1135%
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 score101.0
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: 45%45%20172018: 52%52%20182019: 50%50%20192023: 35%35%20232024: 38%38%20242025: 35%35%2025
Since 2017: -10%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017StaffordshireEngland
Pupils tested343417282522
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths35%38%35%50%52%45%66%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%6%0%0%0%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score101.099.0103.099.099.097.0105.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score101.0100.0103.0102.0103.0101.0104.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score101.099.0104.0104.0104.0104.0105.8105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard50%47%65%50%56%45%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard56%56%65%75%80%77%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)50%47%35%82%76%77%
Reading progressReading progress score-2.4-5.9-4.7-6.3
Maths progressMaths progress score+0.2-3.2-1.0-2.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged27%18%42%33%38%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged42%48%56%69%56%

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%42%
Gap 15 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
21%45%
Gap 24 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.

A few spare places191 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
91% full

About 19 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 5% 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 roll197Census January 2026
Places21094% full
Pupils from low-income families33%33% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English7%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support23%46 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan10%20 pupils with a plan
Average class size28.17 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)30%£86,800 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls102 / 95
White British pupils87%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 24.3 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 31.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (26), Moderate learning difficulty (16), emotional and mental health (13), Specific learning difficulty (6), Severe learning difficulty (3), Autistic spectrum disorder (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll197191195194197199
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals33%31%30%33%32%33%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language7%6%3%2%3%3%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support23%24%22%19%21%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans8%8%4%5%4%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.9% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance92.9%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school16.9%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils1.12024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.1%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence7.1%8.2%7.3%8.7%3.7%5.6%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence6.0%6.2%5.6%7.9%3.4%4.8%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.1%2.0%1.7%0.8%0.3%0.8%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence16.9%26.8%17.2%28.9%7.8%12.4%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate1.11.50.50.01.5
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers11.5full-time equivalent, 13 people
Pupils per teacher17.1Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers92%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants15.5full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,022
Teachers who left in the year5%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher0.62024/25

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£7,984England £7,738. Total £1.5m
Income per pupil£7,857England £7,697. Total £1.5m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,329England £3,480
Money in reserve18%A healthy amount put by: £273k, £1,430 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£24kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£7,984spent 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 m17112 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate66 per 1,000 people27% lower than the England average
Typical house price£195,000Newcastle-under-Lyme
Nearest bus stop100 mScot Hay Road, 14 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
St John's CofE Primary AcademyAcademy0.8 miles155Requires improvement 20231Compare
Silverdale Primary AcademyAcademy0.8 miles152Good 202363Compare
Alsagers Bank Primary AcademyAcademy1.3 miles178Not inspected75Compare
Knutton St Marys CofE AcademyAcademy1.4 miles168Not inspected4Compare
The Meadows Primary SchoolAcademy1.9 miles107Outstanding 202490Compare
Westlands Primary SchoolAcademy1.9 miles204Good 202328Compare
St Mary's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy2.1 miles444Good 202264Compare
Churchfields Primary SchoolAcademy2.1 miles391No overall grade 202530Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Luke's CofE (C) 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.

Beats8%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the bottom of its group. Its score of 6 is 29 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 35 · highest 100100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Luke's CofE (C) Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Sun Academy BradwellAcademy2.5 miles167Good 202468Compare
Weston Junior AcademyAcademy7.9 miles165Report card 202616Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 6 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 6% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 3 to 15. 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
-0.26
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 34 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 1.3 years old
Progress pupils make20%well below
-0.25
DfE progress measure; 34 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.10
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.08
2024/25; 178 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.18
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 34 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 Luke's CofE (C) Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. St Luke's CofE (C) Primary School scores 6 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 8% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 3 to 15, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is St Luke's CofE (C) Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Luke's CofE (C) Primary School not judged at its last full inspection on 10 June 2025.

How good are St Luke's CofE (C) Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 35% 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 Luke's CofE (C) Primary School have?

197 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 94% full.

Is St Luke's CofE (C) Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 19 places were empty in 2024/25 (9% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at St Luke's CofE (C) Primary School?

Pupils were in school 92.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 17% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Luke's CofE (C) Primary School?

The average class had 28.1 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
Pepper Street, Silverdale, Newcastle, ST5 6QJ
Telephone
01782 973865
Website
www.st-lukes-silverdale.staffs.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Sam Ray
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary controlled) (Voluntary controlled school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Lichfield
Local authority
Staffordshire
Ward
Silverdale
Constituency
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
124267 · LAESTAB 8603093 · UKPRN 10076749

Where these figures come from