Stradbroke Primary School Review 2026: A busy, structured primary with strong Key Stage 2 outcomes

There is a clear sense of organisation here, starting early. Children can join from age two through the Little Teds provision, move into Nursery, then progress into a two-form entry primary that runs right through to Year 6. The leadership language is practical and community-minded, with an emphasis on experience, innovation, culture, aspirations and community that is echoed in day-to-day routines and personal development work.

Academic outcomes at the end of primary are a strength. In 2024, 75% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 30% reached greater depth, well above the England average of 8%. Reading, maths and grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled scores were also comfortably above England averages.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. The trade-off is competition for places, with Reception entry oversubscribed in the latest available cycle.

Stradbroke serves Handsworth and the surrounding South East Sheffield neighbourhoods with a straightforward, inclusive approach. Expectations are set early and reinforced through routines that start from the two-year-old provision. The tone is purposeful rather than showy, with staff putting a lot of energy into making sure children know what good learning behaviour looks like and how to keep it going.

Leadership is stable. Mr J Sitch is listed as Headteacher, and he notes he has held the role since 2017. That length of tenure matters in a primary setting because consistency is often what allows curriculum planning, behaviour routines and staff development to compound year after year.

The latest inspection evidence aligns with this. The July 2022 Ofsted inspection confirmed the school remained Good and stated that safeguarding arrangements are effective. Beyond the headline, the description of lessons points to calm, structured classrooms where pupils are polite and relationships are positive, with the occasional behaviour wobble handled quickly.

Early years is woven into the whole-school identity rather than feeling bolted on. Little Teds operates as a part-time offer with morning or afternoon places, and children in Little Teds are given priority for a place in Nursery. Session times for Nursery and Little Teds are set out clearly (morning 8:30am to 11:30am, afternoon 12:15pm to 3:15pm), which helps families plan work and childcare.

The performance picture is strongest at Key Stage 2, and the detail is helpful for parents trying to judge whether “good results” actually means secure basics.

In 2024, 75% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined (England average 62%). At the higher standard, 30% reached the higher benchmark (England average 8%), suggesting that the school is not only getting a solid majority over the line but also stretching a meaningful proportion to greater depth. Reading and maths scaled scores were 107 and 108 respectively, and grammar, punctuation and spelling was 109, all above typical England benchmarks.

Rankings reinforce that this is above-average performance at national scale. Ranked 2,096th in England and 16th in Sheffield for primary outcomes (FindMySchool proprietary ranking based on official data), results sit above England average and place the school comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England.

For parents comparing nearby options, the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool can make it easier to benchmark these outcomes against other Sheffield primaries without having to trawl multiple sources.

The strongest thread is the emphasis on basic skills, particularly reading, writing and maths, then building outward. The inspection evidence describes pupils getting a strong grounding in English and mathematics and building effectively over time, with teaching assistants and teachers supported by coaching and professional development.

Early reading looks carefully structured. Staff training, regular checks of phonic knowledge, and deliberate matching of books to reading ability matter because they reduce the chance that children either get stuck on texts that are too hard or coast on ones that are too easy. Daily story time, weekly library visits and classroom reading areas are described as part of building reading habits, not just decoding skills.

The wider curriculum is ambitious, with evidence of topic-led learning and educational visits. For example, Year 5 planning references local history learning through a Manor Lodge visit, and curriculum coverage in foundation subjects is being strengthened through more sequenced planning. A fair caveat, based on the latest inspection, is that some foundation subjects had not yet benefited from full implementation of the newer curriculum planning, which can leave gaps for some pupils until consistency is embedded across every subject.

SEND support is a meaningful element of teaching and learning. The inspection material describes a curriculum adapted for pupils with SEND and specialist support programmes, plus an integrated resource base for pupils with moderate learning needs. For families who need that layer of support, it is relevant that inclusion is described as part of the core model, not a side project.

Early Years and Nursery Provision

For families entering at two or three, the key question is usually whether early years is “childcare with some learning” or a genuinely educational start. The evidence points to the latter, particularly around language and stories. The school’s published English approach describes children being immersed in stories from Little Teds onwards, using structured programmes that encourage vocabulary growth and oral storytelling.

Practically, session times are fixed and clearly communicated, which helps routines become predictable for younger children. Children in Little Teds are prioritised for Nursery places, which can reduce transition friction for families already in the setting.

Nursery fees are not published here in a way that should be repeated as a single figure. For current early years pricing, families should use the school’s official information. Government-funded hours are available for eligible families.

As a Sheffield primary, the default route is transition into Sheffield secondary schools through the local authority process at Year 7. The school’s role is typically to ensure pupils leave Year 6 with secure literacy and numeracy, and with the confidence to handle a larger environment.

The best indicator of readiness here is the Key Stage 2 profile. With three-quarters meeting the combined expected standard and a sizeable minority reaching the higher standard, many pupils should be well placed to access a demanding Key Stage 3 curriculum, provided attendance is secure and learning habits remain steady.

For families thinking ahead about secondary options, it is sensible to map likely schools early and keep an eye on admissions rules. Catchment, siblings and distance rules can change year to year across the city. The FindMySchool Map Search can help parents sense-check travel distance, but families should still rely on the local authority’s published criteria for the relevant admissions year.

Reception entry is coordinated through Sheffield City Council. For children starting Reception in September 2026 (the 2026 to 2027 academic year), the council states that applications open from Autumn 2025 and the closing date is 15 January 2026, with national allocation on 16 April 2026 (or the next working day if this falls on a weekend or bank holiday).

Stradbroke is oversubscribed for Reception entry in the latest available data, with 95 applications and 57 offers, which equates to roughly 1.67 applications per place. Where a school is oversubscribed, the practical implication is simple: families should treat it as a preference worth listing, but also build a realistic plan with additional choices.

For early years entry, the school’s admissions information asks parents to contact the school office to discuss places, and it highlights the pathway from Little Teds into Nursery. One important technical point for parents: Sheffield’s Reception admissions guidance makes clear that attendance at a nursery class does not itself create priority for a Reception place within the statutory admissions criteria, so families should not assume “we are already here” guarantees the next step.

Open events can vary year to year. If open days listed online relate to a past intake, the safest approach is to treat the month as the usual pattern and then confirm exact dates directly with the school.

Pastoral work is visible in the way responsibility is built into school life. The school parliament structure is explicit, with elected roles such as a school prime minister and deputy prime minister alongside the wider council. That model tends to suit children who respond well to concrete responsibility rather than vague “leadership” language.

Wellbeing support is not left as a generic promise. Healthy Minds Champions are positioned as a pupil voice and peer-support mechanism in Key Stage 2, with one champion in each class. The inspection narrative also describes pupils feeling safe and trusting adults to help with problems, which matters for families who prioritise safeguarding culture and calm handling of issues.

Attendance is treated as a priority, including practical initiatives such as a daily walking bus and breakfast club, plus communication and incentives around consistent attendance. This emphasis is sensible given the inspection’s note that some pupils do not attend regularly enough and that missed school leads to learning gaps over time.

The strongest extracurricular offer here is structured and weekday-focused, which suits working families and children who do best with routine. The school runs an after-school club Monday to Thursday in term time (3:15pm to 4:30pm) for Years 1 to 6, with activities described in practical terms rather than vague promises, including sports sessions with Coach McCarroll, arts and crafts with Mrs Walker, and parlour games with Mr Stones.

Forest School is a notable feature in the younger years. Year 1 planning explicitly references weekly Forest School sessions, and this kind of regular outdoor learning tends to benefit children who learn best through doing, exploring, and practising language in context rather than only through desk-based tasks.

Trips and experiences also play a role in broadening the curriculum. Inspection evidence references residential visits in Years 2 and 6, plus author visits that link directly to reading and writing motivation. For parents, the implication is that enrichment is tied back to learning goals, not treated as a separate “nice extra”.

The school day varies slightly by phase. The published timetable shows start times ranging from 8:40am to 9:00am depending on year group, with home times around 3:10pm or 3:20pm. Little Teds and Nursery sessions run 8:30am to 11:30am or 12:15pm to 3:15pm.

Wraparound care exists, including an after-school club structure running Monday to Thursday for Years 1 to 6. If you need specific pricing for clubs or extras, it is best confirmed directly because these can change and may differ by activity.

For travel, most families will approach via local residential streets in Handsworth. Parking around drop-off can be tight at peak times, so walking, cycling, or short park-and-walk routines often make mornings easier when that is feasible.

• Competition for Reception places. Reception entry is oversubscribed in the latest available data. This is a school to include on a preference list, but families should build a realistic set of additional choices.

• Attendance expectations are firm. Attendance is treated as a major priority and is explicitly linked to achievement. That will suit families who value clear boundaries, but it also means persistent lateness or term-time holidays are likely to be challenged.

• Curriculum consistency beyond English and maths. The inspection evidence highlights very strong planning and implementation in English and maths, with curriculum improvements still bedding in across all foundation subjects. Parents who prioritise breadth may want to ask how implementation is now being monitored.

Stradbroke Primary School combines a structured early years pathway with a large, busy primary that achieves strong Key Stage 2 outcomes. The atmosphere described in official evidence is purposeful and safe, with a clear focus on reading, routines, and personal development roles such as the school parliament and Healthy Minds Champions.

Who it suits: families who want a state primary with above-average results, clear routines, and on-site early years options from age two. The main challenge is admission pressure at Reception, so the practical work is building a smart application plan alongside a shortlist of alternatives.