Gnosall St Lawrence Coe Primary Academy Review 2026: High-performing village primary with Forest School and strong early reading

A rural Staffordshire primary with an unusually broad age range, taking children from age 2 through to Year 6, and building daily routines around outdoor learning, reading, and character education. Forest School sits at the centre of the week, with sessions running in all seasons and led by an accredited Forest School leader, so practical kit and a child who is happy outside matter.

Leadership is clearly visible. Miss Kirsten Sweet is headteacher and also the Designated Safeguarding Lead, a combination that often correlates with consistent expectations and clear communication in smaller communities.

The March 2023 Ofsted inspection confirmed that the school continues to be Good. Safeguarding arrangements were recorded as effective.

This is a Church of England primary with a recognisable Christian rhythm, including worship, reflection, and regular links to the local church, while also stating that children and families of all faiths are welcome. The school frames its day-to-day culture through perseverance, kindness and responsibility, and these values are also reflected in the latest Ofsted narrative about behaviour and relationships.

Pupil leadership is a visible thread. The school uses roles such as ambassadors, and it also talks about “courageous advocacy” as a practical expectation, not a poster slogan. This shows up in the way charity support is described, including pupil-led fundraising, and in the way pupils are encouraged to connect local action to wider events.

There is also a deliberate whole-school emphasis on movement and outdoor habits. The Daily Mile is presented as a normal, integrated part of the day rather than a one-off initiative, which can suit pupils who learn best when the school day includes regular physical reset points.

The published Key Stage 2 picture is notably strong. In 2024, 89% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 34% achieved the higher threshold in reading, writing and maths, compared to an England average of 8%.

Scaled scores reinforce the same message. Reading was 108, mathematics 108, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 107. These are strong outcomes for a school serving a broad intake and a wide age range.

Rankings place the school above England average. Ranked 2,196th in England and 11th in Stafford for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), it sits comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England.

Early reading is treated as a priority from the start of Reception. The Ofsted report describes phonics beginning at the start of Reception, with staff training and consistent matching of books to the sounds pupils have learned. That matters for parents because it tends to reduce the proportion of children who drift into Year 2 still decoding slowly, and it gives home reading a clearer structure.

Outdoor learning is not positioned as an occasional enrichment day. Forest School is described as a weekly session for all children, with examples that include shelters, bug hotels, and bonfires, and a clear expectation that children will be outside in all weathers. The practical implication is simple: this suits pupils who enjoy hands-on learning and being outdoors; it can be a harder sell for children who strongly dislike outdoor kit, mud, or unpredictable weather.

A useful additional detail for parents is that computing is explicitly referenced as an inspection focus, alongside early reading and mathematics, indicating that core curriculum intent is not limited to English and maths alone.

As a primary school, the key transition point is the move to secondary education after Year 6. The school’s community context means many pupils will move on with a familiar peer group to local Staffordshire secondary schools, but the exact destination pattern depends on each family’s preferences and the relevant admissions criteria in that year.

For families new to the area, the most practical approach is to check secondary options and catchment implications early, then build visits and open events around the schools you are most likely to name as preferences. Staffordshire’s admissions guidance also reinforces that preferences should be listed in true order, rather than as tactical guesses.

Reception entry sits within Staffordshire’s coordinated admissions process, even though the school is an academy, so families should expect the standard timetable for the normal admissions round. For September 2026 entry, Staffordshire’s published dates are clear: applications open on 01 November 2025, close on 15 January 2026, and offers are issued on 16 April 2026.

Demand is real rather than hypothetical. For the latest available entry-route data, there were 41 applications and 31 offers, which equates to 1.32 applications per offer, and the school was recorded as oversubscribed. This indicates that families should treat admission as competitive and read the school’s published oversubscription criteria carefully.

The school also publishes admissions arrangements and supplementary information forms. For Church of England schools, it is common for supplementary information to be relevant where faith-based criteria apply, so it is worth checking the current documentation early, well before the closing date.

A practical tool tip: parents who are weighing several local primaries can use the FindMySchoolMap Search to sanity-check commute patterns and likely day-to-day practicality alongside admissions rules, then keep a shortlist in Saved Schools while you gather visit notes.

Safeguarding is clearly embedded in the public-facing structure, with the headteacher named as the Designated Safeguarding Lead and a clear safeguarding team listed.

Behaviour and relationships come through as a strength. The Ofsted narrative describes calm classrooms and rare interruption from poor behaviour, alongside pupils taking responsibility roles and showing concern for others. That combination is often a good indicator for parents who value a steady classroom climate over constant behaviour management.

It is also worth noting that the same inspection text records that a small number of parents were not confident that all bullying concerns were fully resolved, while also stating that reported bullying was investigated with appropriate action. For parents, the implication is to ask direct questions about reporting routes, response times, and how outcomes are communicated back to families.

The extracurricular offer is broad, and importantly it includes both staff-run clubs and external-provider activities. Examples named by the school include gymnastics, sports acrobatics, art, chess, gardening, cross-country and football. The detail that some activities carry a charge is helpful for families planning weekly logistics and budgeting.

Outdoor learning is a major strand rather than a bolt-on. Weekly Forest School sessions include practical activities such as bug hotels and shelter-building, which can be a real strength for children who learn best through doing, and for families who value confidence-building through managed risk and teamwork.

The school also frames community contribution as a pupil responsibility, with courageous advocacy and charity fundraising given concrete examples, including large-scale fundraising for UNICEF in response to the Ukraine crisis. This tends to appeal to parents who want values education to show up in action, not only in assemblies.

Nursery Provision

The early years offer is a meaningful part of the school’s identity, taking children from age 2. The Ofsted report explicitly describes clear routines for two- and three-year-olds that prepare children well for the move into Reception, which is often a key parental concern in settings that start at age 2.

For families, the main practical implication is continuity. A child can begin in the early years phase and move through to Reception within the same setting, with consistent expectations and shared values language. That can reduce transition anxiety, especially for children who thrive on routine.

Nursery fee details change and should be checked on the school’s official pages. Government-funded hours are available for eligible families, and the school signposts funding routes for two-year-olds as well as the universal entitlement for three- and four-year-olds.

The normal school day is clearly stated: gates open at 8.45am, close at 8.55am, and the school finishes at 3.30pm.

Wraparound care is a strength. The Kids’ Club runs from 7.30am before school and from 3.30pm to 6.00pm after school, with published session pricing and an online booking requirement.

On day-to-day costs, lunch pricing is published, with free meals for Reception to Year 2 under the infant scheme, and a stated daily price for older pupils.

• Competition for places. With 1.32 applications per offer in the latest available entry-route data and an oversubscribed status, admission is not guaranteed even for nearby families.

• Outdoor kit expectations. Weekly Forest School in all seasons is a defining feature; children who dislike outdoor clothing, mud, or cold weather may need time to adjust.

• Faith character is real. This is a Church of England school with worship and church links. Families looking for a fully secular setting should read the ethos pages carefully before applying.

• Bullying communication. The latest inspection records some parental concern about full resolution of bullying worries, even though reported incidents were investigated with action taken. It is sensible to ask how the school closes the loop with families.

A high-performing village primary that combines strong academic outcomes with daily habits that shape character, reading, and outdoor confidence. It suits families who want a Church of England ethos, a steady behaviour culture, and a school week where Forest School and physical activity are normal rather than occasional. The limiting factor is admissions competition, so families should treat application timing and criteria as central to their planning.