The Richard Clarke First School Review 2026: Small first school, big emphasis on reading and personal development

What can be stated, because it is directly supported by the most recent inspection evidence, is the underlying picture of learning: pupils achieve well, their work quality across the curriculum is high, and teachers routinely expect pupils to explain their thinking, particularly in mathematics.

The school’s size matters in how results are interpreted. In small cohorts, year-to-year variation is common, so families should be cautious about over-reading a single year of results, and instead look for the consistency signals that inspections and curriculum detail reveal: clear sequencing, regular retrieval practice, and strong early reading.

If you are shortlisting several local options, it is worth using the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tool to line up what is published side-by-side once the relevant performance data is available for each school, rather than relying on impressions.

Curriculum thinking is unusually explicit for a small first school. Ofsted describes a highly structured, well-considered curriculum where staff have identified the essential content in each subject and the order in which it is taught. Inspectors also noted a deliberate clarity around what pupils should remember from lessons, with teachers using that clarity to assess retention effectively.

Early reading, done properly

Reading is positioned as the engine of the school. Inspectors reported that teachers and support staff are experts in delivering the school’s systematic phonics programme, and that pupils quickly acquire the knowledge they need to decode texts. As pupils move through the school, they are introduced to diverse, high-quality texts, and reading is described as being central to school life.

The practical implication for parents is simple: if your child is at the stage where early literacy habits need to click into place, this is the type of environment that tends to make that happen reliably, because staff are trained, routines are consistent, and reading is treated as everyone’s job.

Mathematics and explanation

In mathematics, the same emphasis on structure appears through regular revisiting of previous content and an expectation that pupils explain their reasoning. This approach supports secure knowledge and the ability to apply it to new problems, which is exactly what pupils need before they move into a middle-school curriculum with faster pace and more abstraction.

SEND and inclusion

Although the school is small, the inspection report describes effective and responsive support for pupils with special educational needs and or disabilities (SEND), including swift identification of needs and involvement of external agencies when required. Crucially, pupils with SEND are included in the full life of the school, not separated from wider opportunities.

This is a first school in Staffordshire’s three-tier system, so pupils move on at age 9.

The school’s own published links indicate that pupils traditionally feed into Oldfields Hall Middle School, and then progress to Thomas Alleyne’s High School for the next stage.

For parents, that transition point is the strategic moment to focus on. A first school that builds confidence in reading, writing, and mathematical reasoning tends to make the move at 9 feel manageable, especially for children who can be unsettled by a bigger setting. The 2024 inspection report explicitly notes pupils being very well prepared for the challenges of middle school, which is exactly the outcome families want from this phase.

Reception entry is the main intake route. The school’s planned admission number is 30 pupils.

Admissions are coordinated through Staffordshire County Council, rather than by application to the school directly.

The most recent admissions snapshot shows 30 applications for 26 offers for the primary entry route, with an oversubscription ratio of 1.15 applications per place. That level of demand is real, but it is not the kind of pressure-cooker ratio seen in some urban primaries.

For September 2026 Reception entry in Staffordshire, the published coordinated deadline is 15 January 2026.

Several Staffordshire school admissions pages also point to applications opening on 01 November 2025 and offers being made on 16 April 2026 (National Offer Day).

Open days are typically referenced as taking place in October, and the Staffordshire SEND information listing for the school reflects that pattern, while also noting that visits can be arranged by contacting the school office.

Safeguarding is treated as non-negotiable. The 2024 inspection report states that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Beyond safeguarding, the pastoral picture is shaped by the small-school dynamic: staff know pupils well, issues are spotted quickly, and behaviour expectations are consistently reinforced. Inspectors described behaviour below expectations as rare, and highlighted the quick, supportive response when it does occur.

The school also makes a point of giving pupils responsibility in ways that fit their age. The 2024 report references roles such as library leaders and play leaders, which signals a structured approach to confidence and contribution, rather than ad hoc “helper” systems.

For a small first school, enrichment is a clear strength. Ofsted describes “learning beyond the classroom” as a real strength, with trips, visits, and visitors planned to broaden pupils’ understanding of modern Britain, and active community involvement such as collecting for the local food bank and taking home equipment to support litter picking locally.

Clubs and activities vary by term, and the school signposts families to its wraparound and clubs provision via Clarke’s Club. Older published club-planning materials show examples such as gardening club and dance provision, and current trust information also notes that the headteacher runs dance clubs.

Forest School is also part of the school’s wider learning offer, framed as a long-term commitment to nature-based education and building a sense of stewardship and respect for the natural world.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

Wraparound care is a named part of the offer through Clarke’s Club. Community information published locally references breakfast provision from 07:45 to 09:00, and after-school care from 15:30 to 18:00.

Published school documents also indicate a morning start time of 08:50 for at least part of the school, with staggered day timings referenced in older newsletters. Because timings can change, families should treat published wraparound hours as the more reliable anchor for planning, and confirm precise class start and finish times with the school.

Term dates for the 2025 academic year are published on the school website, which is useful for planning childcare and holidays around inset days and half-terms.

• Ages only to 9. This is a first school, so families need to be comfortable with a transition to middle school at age 9, and plan ahead for that move.

• Results data is limited in this profile. If you rely heavily on published attainment and ranking metrics, you will need to check the school’s current published performance information separately, because the does not include those measures for this school.

• Small cohorts mean variation. In a school of this size, year-group outcomes and class dynamics can shift from year to year, so it is wise to look for consistent systems, curriculum clarity, and behaviour culture, rather than expecting every cohort to look identical.

• Oversubscription is present, even if modest. Recent demand data shows slightly more applications than offers; put the school as a genuine preference rather than assuming entry is automatic.

A high-trust, high-expectation first school that places reading at the centre and backs it up with structured teaching and clear routines. The latest inspection evidence points to strong behaviour, a carefully sequenced curriculum, and pupils who are well prepared for the move to middle school.

Who it suits: families who want a small-school feel, strong early literacy, and a community-minded approach to personal development, and who are comfortable with the Staffordshire three-tier progression at age 9.