The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
A Staffordshire first school has a particular job to do: build the learning habits that make Year 5 feel exciting rather than daunting. Beresford Memorial CofE First School leans into that role with a curriculum that explicitly threads social and emotional awareness, creativity, global awareness, British values, community and spirituality through topic-based learning, with outdoor learning and a Forest School ethos used to support enquiry and motivation.
This is a Church of England school, but not in a narrow sense. The school’s published statements stress respect for different faiths and cultures, and frame Christian distinctiveness as a set of lived values that shape routines, behaviour and the wider life of the school.
Entry is competitive on the Reception route in the local data, with 42 applications for 30 offers and an oversubscribed status. That makes admissions a practical consideration for families who are not already close to the school or aligned with its criteria.
The school’s own language is direct about what it wants pupils to become. “Beresford learners” is a phrase used in the most recent inspection report, paired with a culture of ambition and a strong sense that pupils should achieve well by the time they move on to middle school.
Christian values are not treated as occasional add-ons. The school presents them as a consistent framework, including honesty, kindness, hope, respect, creativity and courage, and links these to practical aims such as resilience, belonging, and a positive approach to challenge.
For families weighing ethos, it matters that this is also a school that describes itself as welcoming and inclusive, and that explicitly references respect for people from all faiths and cultures. In practice, that usually shows up in how assemblies, collective worship themes, curriculum choices and everyday language are aligned, even for families who are not regular churchgoers.
A useful piece of local context is that this is a “first” school in the Staffordshire three-tier system. That shapes the feel of the place: early reading, talk, number confidence, and learning routines tend to dominate the school improvement agenda, because pupils move on earlier than in a typical primary.
Nursery provision is part of the school and is built into the published admissions arrangements, with children admitted from the term of their third birthday and three points of entry across the year.
The most important practical point for parents is that nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Reception admissions are handled as a separate application route at the appropriate time.
If you are looking at nursery as a feeder, treat it as an opportunity to understand the school’s routines and expectations, rather than a backdoor into Reception. It can still be a very helpful transition, particularly for children who benefit from stability and familiar staff, but it should not be relied upon for admissions certainty.
The school’s published Ofsted status is Good, with the latest report being an inspection in November 2023 published in December 2023, which states that the school continues to be a good school.
. The school’s curriculum documentation says that many pupils start below age-related expectations in most areas, and that the strategic goal is at least good progress so pupils become secure in age-related expectations across the curriculum.
If you are comparing local schools, the most useful next step is to look beyond headline labels and ask two practical questions: how quickly children become confident readers, and how the school builds writing stamina and number fluency by the end of Year 4. Those are the foundations that tend to determine how smoothly children adapt to middle school in Year 5.
Parents comparing options locally can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view schools side-by-side, then shortlist based on the blend of ethos, practicality and admissions reality.
Beresford Memorial describes a topic-based approach, with outdoor learning used where possible to enhance teaching and learning. It also explicitly describes “curriculum essentials” that are threaded through planning, including social and emotional awareness, possibilities, creativity, global awareness, British values, community and spirituality.
Implementation detail matters because it is where intent either becomes day-to-day consistency or remains aspirational. The school describes long-term planning to ensure national curriculum content coverage, and skills progression grids to support sequencing across year groups. It also sets out an adaptive approach where tasks are adjusted so pupils can access learning as independently as possible.
Support for pupils with additional needs is described in mainstream, classroom-first terms: teachers know strengths and areas for development, and trained support staff implement adapted planning where needed. That is often the most reassuring model for families whose child needs some scaffolding but still benefits from being taught alongside peers most of the time.
The school’s curriculum information explicitly frames enrichment as part of building experience and background knowledge, including acknowledging global, national and local events, plus external visits and visitors.
A concrete example on the school’s site is National Storytelling Week activity for early years pupils, including visits from students at Leek High School to read to younger children. That kind of cross-age interaction tends to support language development and listening habits, and can also normalise the idea that older pupils can be role models rather than something to fear at the next transition point.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
FMS Inspection Score calculated by FindMySchool based on official inspection data.
As a first school, the “next step” is typically a middle school at Year 5. The most relevant implication for families is that the school explicitly aims for pupils to be achieving well by the time they move on, and its curriculum intent is written with that earlier transition in mind.
In practical terms, families should ask two transition-focused questions when choosing:
How the school builds independence, organisation and learning stamina by Year 4
How it prepares children socially for a bigger peer group and different routines at middle school
If you are trying to understand local pathways, it is also useful that schools within The Talentum Learning Trust include a local middle school listed on Ofsted’s trust roll for this area, which can give families a clearer sense of continuity in approach where children move within the same trust family.
For Reception entry, applications are made through Staffordshire County Council’s coordinated admissions scheme, and each child receives one offer.
For September 2026 entry, Staffordshire sets the closing date for primary applications as 15 January 2026, with offers notified on 16 April 2026 (National Offer Day).
The school’s 2026 to 2027 admissions arrangements document provides the clearest view of the oversubscription priorities used locally. Key features include priority for looked-after and previously looked-after children, siblings, and faith-related criteria where parents are seeking a Christian education and may be asked for supplementary information. Catchment area and then distance to the main gate, measured in a straight line using the local authority system, also appear within the criteria.
Nursery admissions are processed by the school, with three termly entry points and a published admission number of 26 in the arrangements document. Parents are directed to contact the school office for the nursery application process.
Do not assume a nursery place converts into Reception. The admissions arrangements are explicit that a separate Reception application must be made at the appropriate time.
For the Reception entry route, the school is oversubscribed, with 42 applications and 30 offers, and a first-preference pressure ratio above 1. If you are considering a move, it is sensible to treat admissions as the constraint and then judge whether the school’s ethos and approach justify that constraint.
Parents can use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their precise distance and sense-check it against recent local allocation patterns, remembering that outcomes vary year to year.
Applications
42
Total received
Places Offered
30
Subscription Rate
1.4x
Apps per place
The most reliable indicators here come from the school’s stated priorities and the published inspection evidence. The inspection report describes high ambition for all, and a culture in which pupils are supported to achieve well by the time they leave.
The school also presents social and emotional awareness as one of the essentials threaded through the curriculum, which is a useful signpost for families who want pastoral work to be embedded in teaching, rather than bolted on as occasional wellbeing days.
Safeguarding culture is a non-negotiable question for any parent. Inspectors evaluated safeguarding during the November 2023 inspection through record checks and staff and pupil discussions, and the report sets this out as part of the inspection process and context.
A first school’s extracurricular strength is usually less about prestige activities and more about breadth, repetition and routine. What matters is whether clubs and enrichment genuinely widen experience, develop confidence and language, and give children a reason to feel connected to school beyond lessons.
On the evidence available from the school’s published enrichment material, the programme is positioned as a deliberate driver of engagement and resilience, and it also includes literacy-linked enrichment such as National Storytelling Week activity and shared reading experiences with older students visiting from a local secondary.
The curriculum approach also makes a specific commitment to using outdoor learning and a Forest School ethos to provoke enquiry and develop intrinsic motivation. Even without the detail of a timetable on the accessible pages, the intent is clear: outdoor learning is used as a pedagogical tool, not just as a reward.
For families considering fit, the key question is whether your child responds well to learning framed through topics and enquiry. Children who thrive on hands-on tasks, talk, and exploring ideas through practical contexts often do well in this kind of curriculum model, particularly in the 3 to 9 age range.
The school day is published as 8.45am to 3.15pm, Monday to Friday.
Term dates for 2025 to 2026 are published on the school website, including inset days and half-term periods.
Wraparound care is referenced in the most recent inspection report as the school operating both a breakfast club and an after-school club. Families should check the current booking patterns and session details directly with the school, as wraparound offers can change year to year based on staffing and demand.
Admissions pressure for Reception. The provided admissions figures show more applications than offers for the Reception route. If you are not already local, treat admissions as the limiting factor, then decide whether the school’s ethos and approach justify the uncertainty.
Nursery does not guarantee Reception. The admissions arrangements are explicit that a nursery place does not confer a Reception place, and a separate application is required.
Faith criteria can matter in oversubscription. The published admissions arrangements include criteria linked to seeking a Christian education and may involve a supplementary form. Families who prefer a fully non-faith admissions basis should read these details carefully before relying on a place.
Transition happens earlier than most primaries. Pupils typically move on to middle school at Year 5 in the local system, so families should prioritise how the school builds independence, reading fluency and learning routines by the end of Year 4.
Beresford Memorial CofE First School offers a clearly articulated Christian ethos, a topic-based curriculum with outdoor learning at its core, and a stated ambition for pupils to be ready for the earlier middle school transition that defines Staffordshire first schools. The latest inspection confirms that it continues to be a good school.
Best suited to families who want a Church of England setting where values are central to daily routines, and whose child responds well to learning framed through enquiry, enrichment and outdoor experiences. The main constraint is admissions competitiveness for Reception, so families should plan early and treat timelines and criteria as essential reading.
The latest Ofsted report (inspection in November 2023, published December 2023) states that the school continues to be a good school. The report also describes a culture of ambition for all and a focus on pupils achieving well by the time they move on to middle school.:contentReference[oaicite:36]{index=36}
Reception applications go through Staffordshire’s coordinated admissions process. For September 2026 entry, the county closing date for primary applications is 15 January 2026, and offers are issued on 16 April 2026.:contentReference[oaicite:37]{index=37}
No. The school’s admissions arrangements are explicit that nursery attendance does not guarantee admission to Reception, and parents must make a separate Reception application at the appropriate time.:contentReference[oaicite:38]{index=38}
For the Reception entry route the school is recorded as oversubscribed, with more applications than available offers. That means it is sensible to treat admissions as a practical constraint when shortlisting.
In the Staffordshire three-tier system, pupils typically transfer to middle school at Year 5. For parents, that makes early reading, writing stamina, number confidence and independence by the end of Year 4 particularly important when judging fit.:contentReference[oaicite:39]{index=39}
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