Christ Church CofE First School Review 2026: Church of England first school in central Stone (Reception to Year 4)

This is a state school, and the academic picture parents most want for primaries is usually Key Stage 2 data. For this school’s age range (up to Year 4), that is not the right lens anyway, because pupils move on before Year 6 assessments.

Instead, the most current external academic evidence comes from the 2024 Ofsted inspection. It describes a logically ordered curriculum from early years to Year 4, with pupils recalling knowledge and skills confidently in wider curriculum areas, including music examples that build on taught rhythm work.

Reading looks like a clear strength. Phonics starts immediately on entry; staff are described as skilled, and books are matched carefully to pupils’ stage, with extra sessions where needed. The implication for families is twofold: children who need systematic support get it early, and children who take off quickly are likely to find plenty to feed enthusiasm, including library use and structured routines around reading.

Mathematics is the area most clearly flagged for development in the latest inspection. The report notes gaps in pupils’ prior knowledge and that some key learning has not been sequenced carefully enough, which can make recall harder and weaken the foundation for new content. For parents, that does not automatically signal weak teaching, it signals a subject area the school is actively refining, so it is worth asking what has changed since the inspection, particularly around curriculum planning and checking what pupils have retained.

In a first school, teaching quality is often best understood through the routines that make learning “stick”: structured phonics, carefully chosen books, consistent approaches to behaviour, and repeated opportunities to use knowledge across subjects.

The curriculum is described in Ofsted’s latest report as ambitious and logically ordered across the early years to Year 4, with teachers routinely checking understanding in most subjects. The practical benefit for pupils is that learning is less likely to feel like disconnected topic weeks, and more like a sequence where children can say “I already know this bit” and then build.

Music is worth highlighting because it appears as a concrete example of progression, pupils using previously taught rhythm sections to create a performance piece. For families with children who learn well through doing, those repeated performance and practice loops can make a real difference in confidence.

For pupils who need additional support, the school’s approach is described as inclusive, with attention to individual needs and a culture where pupils feel valued. The implication is that children with emerging needs are less likely to be overlooked in a small setting, but parents should still ask how support is organised day to day, particularly because first-school transitions can happen quickly.

Because this is a first school (through Year 4), the key transition for families is into a junior or primary setting for Key Stage 2, and later into secondary.

What matters most is that the move happens earlier than in a 4 to 11 primary. Parents should plan for that in practical terms, travel, wraparound care continuity, friendship groups, and the child’s readiness for a new environment partway through primary years. A useful question to ask is how the school supports Year 4 pupils with transition preparation, including visits and liaison with receiving schools.

Reception admissions are coordinated through Staffordshire, and the school publishes the key dates clearly for September 2026 entry. Applications open 1 November 2025, the national closing date is 15 January 2026, and national offer day is 16 April 2026.

Demand, based on the provided entry-route data, suggests competition. With 62 applications and 20 offers (3.1 applications per place) and an oversubscribed status, the limiting factor for many families will be how the published oversubscription criteria are applied, especially sibling priority and distance. If you are trying to model your chances, the FindMySchool Map Search is useful for checking how your home location compares with realistic distance patterns year to year.

The school does not publish a “furthest distance at which a place was offered” figure for this year, so you should treat distance as important but not easily predictable from a single number. In oversubscribed years, small differences in applicant distribution can change outcomes.

Because this is a Church of England school, some families also want clarity on faith-related admissions priorities. The right place to confirm that is the school’s published admissions arrangements for the relevant year group and entry year, which the school links from its admissions page.

Safeguarding routines and site security are described in practical terms on the school website, including visitor sign-in, badge procedures, and the expectation that all entry is via the main entrance. For parents, that kind of operational clarity is usually a good sign, it indicates the school treats safeguarding as a daily practice rather than a policy document.

The school day description also highlights controlled handover with staff supervision at collection and clear processes if a different adult arrives to collect a child. This tends to reassure families with younger pupils, especially those new to school routines.

Faith life can also shape wellbeing, particularly for children who find rhythm and repetition grounding. Weekly worship and celebration services are positioned as shared moments, and SIAMS emphasised the role of Christian vision in relationships and behaviour.

The school publishes a specific after-school clubs list (January 2026) that is unusually concrete for a first school. Named clubs include Glee Club, Netball, Guitar Club (Year 3 only), Trekkers (collection from church), Sunbeams, Board Games (Year 2 only), Bug Club, and Kung Fu.

The value here is not just variety, it is age targeting. A Year 2 child is not pushed into the same model as a Year 4 child, and clubs are framed around manageable end times that fit a first-school day. Two clubs list weekly charges, Bug Club and Kung Fu, which is a reminder to budget for extras even in a state setting.

Outdoor and wider experience is signposted through Forest School, with a parent handbook available via the school site. For children who learn best through hands-on exploration, Forest School often becomes a confidence builder, especially for pupils who need a different channel to show what they know.

Start and finish times are clear: gates open at 8.35am, gates close at 8.50am, and the school day ends at 3.20pm. The page also sets out lateness thresholds and how the day is structured, including break and lunch timings by phase.

Wraparound care (breakfast club and after-school care beyond clubs) is not set out on the published “Our School Day” information, so parents should ask directly what is available, what the hours are, and whether provision is run by the school or a third party.

For transport, the town-centre setting tends to favour walking for nearby families, but parking and drop-off routines can be the practical friction point in historic streets. If you are planning a car drop-off, ask how the school manages traffic flow at gate times.

• Oversubscription is real. The latest entry-route figures show 62 applications for 20 offers, which is 3.1 applications per place. If you are not in a strong priority category, treat admission as uncertain and keep alternatives active.

• First school transition happens early. Pupils move on after Year 4, so families need to plan for a primary-to-junior style change earlier than usual, including wraparound continuity and travel.

• Mathematics curriculum refinement. The latest inspection notes the maths curriculum is at an earlier stage of development than other subjects, with sequencing and recall identified as areas to tighten. Ask what has changed since the inspection and how progress is checked.

• Christian life is integrated. Worship is part of the weekly rhythm and values are explicitly Christian. Most families will be comfortable with this, but those seeking a fully secular setting should weigh fit carefully.

Christ Church CofE First School suits families who want a small, values-led first school in central Stone, with clear routines, a strong early reading focus, and a well-signposted clubs programme for younger pupils. It is particularly well suited to children who enjoy structure and thrive when adults know them well. The main constraint is admission: demand is high, and families should treat a place as competitive until offers are confirmed.