John Wheeldon Primary Academy

Stafford · ST16 3LX

General information Primary School · 5-11 years Who goes here 536 pupils, 26.1% FSM

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 17.9% on SEN support Behaviour 5.7% absence rate Staff 15.8% turnover Financials £5,507 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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John Wheeldon Primary Academy

General Information

Address: Corporation Street, Stafford, ST16 3LX – View on map
Phone: 01785594444
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mrs Claire Clarke
Age range: 5-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 58 families put it first for 60 places – 10 for every 10 places. Every one of them was offered a place. 1 of the 60 places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 9 · 2024 10 · 2025 9 · 2026 10
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Nursery provision: No

Who goes here

536 pupils out of 515 places At or near capacity

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 140
% eligible for free school meals: 26.1%
Pupil mix: 4 in 10 (more mixed than the Stafford average)
English as an additional language: 17% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 15.8% a year (Stafford 13.2%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 30% moved to another school, 70% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 3 years, DfE school workforce census)

Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house.

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across Staffordshire: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 12 (0.2 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 1
Suspensions for bullying: 8 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 1 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary schools in Staffordshire (the council area this school is in), not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

Attendance

Overall absence: 5.7%
Persistently absent pupils: 14.1%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

Pupils on SEN Support: 17.9%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 2.1%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Social, emotional and mental health: 33 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 22 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 22 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 6 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 4 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Social, emotional and mental health: 4 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 4 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 3 pupils

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

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Behaviour

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Openness

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Teaching Quality

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School Ethos

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Ability to Deal with Problems

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Headteacher Approval

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SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

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Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

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Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

Good 2019 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 69% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 15% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: in line with the Stafford average (70%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Below (3-year average 59% against an expected 64%)
3-year average (expected standard): 59%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 78% · Writing 76% · Maths 75% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 76%
Average test scores: reading 106, maths 105
Based on: 80 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

This schoolStafford averageEngland↗ Improving Up 14 percentage points since 2022/23. In 2024/25 this school was in line with the Stafford average (70%).

Year 6 SATs: joint 25th of 35 junior and primary schools in the area

#24Bishop Lonsdale Church of England Primary Academy72%
=25Colwich CofE Primary School69%
=25John Wheeldon Primary Academy69%
=27Meir Heath Academy67%
=27St John's CofE Primary Academy67%

Click to see the full ranking

Year 6 SATs ranking

Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.

Rank School Score

#1Blessed Mother Teresa's Catholic Primary School100%
#2Haughton St Giles CofE Primary Academy93%
#3St Dominic's Catholic Primary School92%
#4Gnosall St Lawrence Coe Primary Academy90%
=5Flash Ley Primary School86%
=5Leasowes Primary School86%
#7Parkside Primary School84%
=8Church Eaton Primary School83%
=8Oakridge Primary School83%
#10St Anne's Catholic Primary School82%
#11Berkswich CofE (VC) Primary School81%
#12St Peter's CofE Primary School80%
#13Woodseaves CE Primary Academy78%
=14Silkmore Primary Academy77%
=14St Andrew's CofE Primary School77%
=16Castlechurch Primary School76%
=16Springcroft Primary School76%
#18St Austin's Catholic Primary School and Nursery75%
#19Doxey Academy74%
=20Anson CofE Primary School73%
=20Barnfields Primary School73%
=20St John's Catholic Primary School73%
=20St Patrick's Catholic Primary School73%
#24Bishop Lonsdale Church of England Primary Academy72%
=25Colwich CofE Primary School69%
=25John Wheeldon Primary Academy69%
=27Meir Heath Academy67%
=27St John's CofE Primary Academy67%
=29Burton Manor Primary School62%
=29Cooper Perry Primary School62%
=29Rowley Park Primary Academy62%
#32Veritas Primary Academy61%
#33Tillington Manor Primary School60%
#34Fulford Primary School55%
#35St Leonard's Primary School50%

View full Ofsted inspection report

17th of 37 primary schools in Stafford for Ofsted rating

#15Gnosall St Lawrence Coe Primary AcademyGood
#16Haughton St Giles CofE Primary AcademyGood
#17John Wheeldon Primary AcademyGood
#18Manor Hill First SchoolGood
#19Meir Heath AcademyGood

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

Rank School Score

#1Berkswich CofE (VC) Primary SchoolOutstanding
#2Leasowes Primary SchoolOutstanding
#3Silkmore Primary AcademyOutstanding
#4St Dominic's Catholic Primary SchoolOutstanding
#5All Saints CofE (C) First SchoolGood
#6Anson CofE Primary SchoolGood
#7Barlaston CofE (VC) First SchoolGood
#8Barnfields Primary SchoolGood
#9Burton Manor Primary SchoolGood
#10Castlechurch Primary SchoolGood
#11Christ Church CofE First SchoolGood
#12Colwich CofE Primary SchoolGood
#13Flash Ley Primary SchoolGood
#14Fulford Primary SchoolGood
#15Gnosall St Lawrence Coe Primary AcademyGood
#16Haughton St Giles CofE Primary AcademyGood
#17John Wheeldon Primary AcademyGood
#18Manor Hill First SchoolGood
#19Meir Heath AcademyGood
#20Oulton CofE First SchoolGood
#21Parkside Primary SchoolGood
#22Rowley Park Primary AcademyGood
#23Springcroft Primary SchoolGood
#24Springfields First SchoolGood
#25St Andrew's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#26St Anne's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#27St Austin's Catholic Primary School and NurseryGood
#28St John's CofE Primary AcademyGood
#29St Michael's CofE (C) First SchoolGood
#30St Patrick's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#31St Peter's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#32Tittensor CofE (C) First SchoolGood
#33Veritas Primary AcademyGood
#34Woodseaves CE Primary AcademyGood
#35All Saints Church of England Primary School and NurseryRequires improvement
#36Church Eaton Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#37Doxey AcademyRequires improvement

Financials

Spending per pupil: £5,507 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

45th of 47 primary schools in Stafford for spending per pupil

#43St John's CofE Primary Academy£5,806
#44Meir Heath Academy£5,674
#45John Wheeldon Primary Academy£5,507
#46Barnfields Primary School£5,142
#47Leasowes Primary School£4,965

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Beaconfields Primary School£16,250
#2All Saints CofE (C) First School£11,061
#3Green Lea First School£10,652
#4Doxey Academy£9,702
#5St John's Catholic Primary School£9,217
#6Tittensor CofE (C) First School£9,189
#7All Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery£9,167
#8Flash Ley Primary School£8,896
#9Barlaston CofE (VC) First School£8,771
#10Silkmore Primary Academy£8,545
#11Church Eaton Primary School£8,425
#12Manor Hill First School£7,972
#13Fulford Primary School£7,916
#14Springfields First School£7,906
#15St Michael's CofE (C) First School£7,771
#16Rowley Park Primary Academy£7,745
#17Woodseaves CE Primary Academy£7,506
#18Christ Church CofE First School£7,492
#19Bishop Lonsdale Church of England Primary Academy£7,315
#20Oakridge Primary School£7,240
#21Oulton CofE First School£7,239
#22Burton Manor Primary School£7,192
#23St Peter's CofE Primary School£7,070
#24Tillington Manor Primary School£7,043
#25Anson CofE Primary School£6,938
#26St Leonard's Primary School£6,896
#27Berkswich CofE (VC) Primary School£6,684
#28St Dominic's Catholic Primary School£6,678
#29Colwich CofE Primary School£6,667
#30Haughton St Giles CofE Primary Academy£6,574
#31Cooper Perry Primary School£6,546
#32Parkside Primary School£6,543
#33Castlechurch Primary School£6,513
#34Blessed Mother Teresa's Catholic Primary School£6,472
#35St Austin's Catholic Primary School and Nursery£6,414
#36St Andrew's CofE Primary School£6,407
#37Gnosall St Lawrence Coe Primary Academy£6,293
#38Pirehill First School£6,269
#39Springcroft Primary School£6,103
#40Veritas Primary Academy£5,979
#41St Anne's Catholic Primary School£5,935
#42St Patrick's Catholic Primary School£5,870
#43St John's CofE Primary Academy£5,806
#44Meir Heath Academy£5,674
#45John Wheeldon Primary Academy£5,507
#46Barnfields Primary School£5,142
#47Leasowes Primary School£4,965

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

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