Stanion Church of England (Aided) Primary School Review 2026: Small, high performing village primary with clear Christian identity

A village primary with a deliberately small intake, published admissions information indicates a planned Reception intake of 15 pupils each year. With capacity around 105 and a roll just over 100, children are typically taught in four classes, with mixed year groups in parts of the school, which tends to suit pupils who benefit from a close knit feel and consistent adult relationships.

Academic outcomes are a defining feature. In 2024, 95% reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, placing the school well above England averages and among the strongest performers locally.

The Christian ethos is explicit and practical. The LIFE vision, Love, Inspire, Flourish, Embrace, is reinforced through worship planning, pupil leadership roles and shared language around values and behaviour.

This is a Church of England voluntary aided school, so faith is not a bolt on. Governance is shaped by the Diocese of Peterborough, and the school’s published aims centre on valuing each child as an individual within a Christian context. The practical expression matters for parents. Worship is planned across the year with themes such as peace, joy, community and dignity, and the programme includes moments such as Harvest and Remembrance alongside wider global Christianity themes.

Pupil culture is described in concrete terms rather than slogans. The school uses a structured framework of Super Friends and Superpowers to build habits such as thinking independently, being comfortable in one’s own identity, and supporting others. This kind of common language can be especially helpful in a small school, because it gives adults and pupils consistent reference points for behaviour, friendship and resilience.

Leadership has been stable over time. Mr Wayne Jones is listed as headteacher and has held the role since 01 January 2015, which typically supports continuity in curriculum and pastoral routines. That said, small schools can feel very personal. Many parents like the familiarity; some families prefer the anonymity and broader peer group a larger primary can offer.

The results profile is strikingly strong for a state primary.

Key Stage 2, 2024 outcomes

• Expected standard in reading, writing and maths: 95%

• Higher standard in reading, writing and maths: 40.67% (England average 8%)

• Average scaled scores: reading 112; maths 107; grammar, punctuation and spelling 111

These figures indicate that attainment is high across the cohort, and that a substantial proportion are working well beyond expected levels by the end of Year 6.

Rankings context

Ranked 433rd in England and 1st in Kettering for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), this places performance well above England average and within the top 10% nationally.

Parents comparing options locally can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view these results side by side using the Comparison Tool, particularly helpful when neighbouring schools have different cohort sizes and contexts.

Curriculum planning is a central strength. Leaders set out clearly what pupils should learn, and in what sequence, across subjects, with teachers breaking content into manageable steps so pupils can build understanding over time. In practice, this shows up in outcomes such as older pupils handling complex problem solving in mathematics, and pupils using subject specific vocabulary confidently when discussing current topics.

Reading is treated as a whole school priority. Phonics starts early in Reception, staff training is consistent, and pupils who need extra support are identified quickly so that reading gaps do not widen. The implication for families is straightforward: pupils are less likely to get stuck early and then spend Key Stage 2 catching up, which helps protect confidence and access to the wider curriculum.

The main development point is about coherence across subjects. In some foundation subjects, teachers do not always make deliberate links back to prior learning, which can weaken recall and reduce how securely pupils build knowledge over time. For parents, this is a practical question to explore: ask how subject leaders support consistent retrieval practice and recap routines beyond reading and maths.

As a village primary, transition planning is as much about readiness as it is about destinations. Pupils move on at the end of Year 6 into the local secondary system, typically travelling to schools in the Corby and Kettering area.

What matters more for many families is the preparation pupils receive. High attainment at Key Stage 2, especially the proportion at higher standard, suggests pupils often transfer with strong literacy and numeracy foundations. That can widen options for subjects and sets in Year 7, and it usually supports confidence during the shift to a larger environment and a more complex timetable.

For families thinking longer term, it is sensible to ask how the school supports transition practically: liaison with receiving secondaries, pupil visits, and how Year 6 routines shift across the spring and summer to build independence.

Reception admissions are coordinated by North Northamptonshire Council, with the school operating its own oversubscription criteria as a voluntary aided school. Applications for September 2026 entry open from 10 September 2025. The on time deadline is 15 January 2026, and offers are issued from 16 April 2026.

Demand indicators point to competition for places. For the relevant entry route, the school recorded 49 applications for 15 offers, which equates to roughly 3.27 applications for each place. The first preference ratio also indicates that first choice demand exceeds available places.

For Church of England voluntary aided schools, supplementary information is often part of the process for faith criteria. The school’s published admissions information references a supplementary form route for applicants seeking priority under church related criteria, with documentation required by the primary application deadline.

Visits are welcomed and are typically arranged directly with the school rather than via large open evenings, which is common for small primaries. Families assessing fit should ask directly about cohort size, mixed year grouping arrangements and how support staff are deployed, since these features shape daily experience more than a headline policy does.

Parents should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their precise distance from the school gates compared with typical local allocation patterns, even when a formal distance cut off is not published, because admissions outcomes can shift year to year as cohorts change.

Pastoral culture is described as calm and community focused. Pupils are reported as polite, confident and proud of their work, with behaviour and achievement recognised through routines such as weekly assemblies. A small school can support strong cross age relationships, and the pupil leadership roles referenced, such as the reading squad and church council, suggest pupils are given structured ways to contribute to school life.

The latest Ofsted inspection, dated 10 November 2022, confirmed the school remained Good and stated that safeguarding arrangements were effective. Beyond the headline, the practical safeguarding detail is useful for parents: staff training is regular, updates are frequent, and pupils receive online safety input systematically across the year.

Inclusion is positioned as part of the mainstream experience rather than a separate track. Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities are intended to access the same curriculum as peers, with targets reviewed regularly so support is specific rather than generic.

In a small primary, extracurricular life works best when it is well organised and varied across the year. Here, the programme is described as changing each half term so pupils can try new activities, with examples including multi sports club, cooking club and gardening club. The implication for families is breadth over intensity, children can sample and discover interests without the pressure that sometimes comes with competitive pathways at larger schools.

Music and sport appear to be common participation routes rather than niche extras. The inspection evidence references a singing club and a football team, and also notes pupils attending a Northampton Town match with a school involvement element. For sporty pupils, facilities matter as much as clubs. The prospectus describes a sports field that supports football in winter and an athletics track in summer, plus a multi use games area and fitness boards on the playground.

Facilities are unusually specific for a small school. The prospectus lists a hall with safety flooring, wall mounted gym apparatus and presentation equipment, a computer suite with 16 PCs, a well stocked library, a fully equipped kitchen and structured outdoor provision including covered play space, a covered sandpit, garden areas and a designated quiet reading area. A Viking themed playship is also referenced as part of the playground equipment, which is the sort of concrete detail parents notice because it shapes break times and outdoor play.

Finally, cultural enrichment is not limited to in house clubs. The inspection report references visiting theatre provision and whole school theatre trips, which helps broaden pupils’ experience beyond the immediate village setting.

The published school day runs from 8.50am with pupils expected at desks by 8.55am, and the day ends at 3.20pm. Lunch is scheduled 12.30pm to 1.30pm. There is a supervised morning club from 8.00am offered through the local authority, parents are directed to request details from the school. Wraparound care beyond this morning provision is not clearly set out on the published page, so families who need after school childcare should confirm current arrangements directly.

Stanion is described locally as well positioned for access to Corby and Kettering and close to the A43 and A14, which aligns with typical travel patterns for village schools, many families will arrive on foot from within the village or by car from nearby areas.

• Small cohort dynamics. With a planned Reception intake of 15, friendship groups are small and dynamics can feel intense for some children. It suits pupils who like familiarity; others may prefer the broader social range of a larger primary.

• Mixed year classes. Teaching is organised into four classes, with mixed year group structures in parts of the school. This can work very well, but parents should ask how differentiation is managed for pupils who need either extra stretch or extra consolidation.

• Faith shaped admissions. As a Church of England voluntary aided school, faith based criteria and supplementary information can matter in oversubscription. Families who are not seeking a faith place should read the admissions policy carefully and understand how priorities are applied.

• High attainment can bring pressure. Strong results are a clear advantage, but some pupils can feel a heightened sense of expectation in a high performing setting. Ask how staff balance challenge with reassurance, particularly for perfectionist learners.

This is a state primary where small scale and high outcomes sit together. The combination of very strong Key Stage 2 attainment, structured curriculum thinking, and a clear Christian identity creates a coherent experience for many families. Best suited to parents who want a close knit village school with explicit Church of England character, and for pupils who enjoy clear routines and a community atmosphere. The main challenge is admission, demand indicators suggest competition for places, so families should engage early and follow the local authority timeline closely.