The Howard Primary School Review 2026: Small village primary with top-tier KS2 outcomes

At drop-off, this is the kind of school where staff recognise families quickly and older pupils naturally take responsibility. The setting matters: The Square in Elford gives it a distinctly village feel, and the main building traces back to 1856, when Lady Mary Howard funded a free school for local children.

Academically, published Key Stage 2 outcomes are unusually strong for a small primary. In 2024, 92.7% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, versus an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 44.3% achieved greater depth across reading, writing and maths, compared with an England average of 8%. The school ranks 259th in England and 1st in Tamworth for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data).

The March 2024 Ofsted inspection judged the school Good overall, with Outstanding for Behaviour and attitudes and Personal development.

A small roll creates a particular dynamic. Pupils tend to know one another across year groups, and mixed-age classes appear to be a defining structural feature rather than an occasional timetable solution. Staffordshire’s school profile describes three mixed-aged classes, which can suit children who thrive in a family-style setting and enjoy learning alongside older or younger peers.

The leadership structure is also unusual for a school of this size. Jonathan Wynn is the headteacher (also described as executive headteacher in official documentation), and the school sits within The Staffordshire Schools Multi-Academy Trust. That trust context shows up in day-to-day life through shared curriculum work with partner primaries and joint events, including choir performances.

Values are stated clearly, and they are used practically. The most recent inspection describes pupils as happy and safe, and it frames the personal development programme around values of love, friendship and respect, with explicit teaching about safe choices, including online. In a small school, these routines matter because children see the same adults across many contexts, from lessons to playtimes to clubs, and consistency tends to be what keeps behaviour calm and expectations clear.

A noteworthy current development is early years expansion. The school has published plans for a new nursery, with a January 2026 start proposed and formal support referenced from Staffordshire County Council, while also noting that final approval was awaited at the time of posting. Families interested in nursery places should verify availability and session details directly with the school before making assumptions.

The headline picture is of consistently high attainment at the end of Key Stage 2.

In 2024:

• 92.7% met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined (England average: 62%).

• 95.6% met the expected standard across reading, writing, maths, grammar, punctuation and spelling, plus science.

• 44.3% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined (England average: 8%).

• 100% met the expected standard in reading and in grammar, punctuation and spelling; 89% met it in maths; 100% met it in science.

Scaled scores are also high, with an average of 108 in reading, 112 in maths and 112 in grammar, punctuation and spelling (total combined score: 332).

Rankings reinforce the performance story. Ranked 259th in England and 1st in Tamworth for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits among the highest-performing in England (top 2%).

For parents, the implication is straightforward. The core basics are being learned securely by the vast majority of pupils, and a large proportion are reaching the higher standard. That tends to correlate with confident transition into secondary school, particularly in reading fluency and mathematical reasoning.

The school’s strongest feature, academically, is how deliberately it treats reading as the engine of everything else. Reading is prioritised across the school; phonics starts immediately; books are matched closely to the sounds pupils are learning; and children who fall behind receive extra support designed to help them catch up quickly. This is the practical version of a “reading culture”: it is less about library posters and more about the tight alignment between what is taught and what children practise daily.

Curriculum planning is described as ambitious and sequenced, with clear end points so staff know what to teach and when. In a small primary, this matters because subject leadership and resourcing can be harder to sustain. A clear shared plan reduces variability between classes and helps staff connect knowledge across mixed-age groupings.

The curriculum is also used to widen pupils’ horizons beyond the village context. Examples given in official material include a French café experience and communication with a twinned school in France, which gives children authentic reasons to practise spoken language rather than seeing it as a worksheet subject.

Where parents should be clear-eyed is consistency of adaptation. The most recent inspection identifies an improvement point: at times, the curriculum is not adapted well enough to meet some pupils’ needs, including some with special educational needs and disabilities, and when that happens pupils do not learn and remember as well as intended. In a small school this is usually solvable, but it does mean parents of children who need precise scaffolding should ask practical questions about how adjustments are made in mixed-age lessons.

As a Staffordshire primary, transfer at Year 6 is via the usual local authority secondary admissions routes, with families choosing from the surrounding Tamworth and Lichfield options depending on where they live and which schools they apply for.

The school’s published communications show it actively supports the transition process. Year 6 pupils take part in transition days as they prepare for “high school”, indicating that secondary readiness is treated as a lived process rather than a one-off admin exercise. The school also shares local secondary information with parents, for example promoting a Lift Rawlett open evening through its news section, which is a practical signal about common local pathways.

Given the high KS2 attainment profile, many pupils should be academically well prepared for a broad range of secondaries, including those with more demanding curricula. For families considering selective routes outside this school’s admissions process, the key question is not whether children can cope academically, but whether the family can manage the wider logistics and expectations that come with more distant or more competitive secondary options.

This is a state-funded primary with no tuition fees. Entry is primarily through Reception, and the school is described as oversubscribed in the available admissions data. Recent figures show 29 applications for 13 offers, around 2.23 applications per offer, which is a high level of competition for a small intake.

The published admission number for the school is 12 for compulsory school aged children, and Reception to Year 6 admissions are run through a co-ordinated admissions scheme. If applications exceed places, allocation follows the oversubscription criteria set out in the school’s admission arrangements, which is where priorities such as looked-after children and distance-based criteria typically come into play. The school does not publish a “last distance offered” figure in the available data, so families should treat proximity as relevant without assuming it guarantees a place.

For September 2026 Reception entry in Staffordshire, applications can be made between 01 November 2025 and 15 January 2026, with offers issued on 16 April 2026. The school’s own admissions page summarises the rhythm in the same way, pointing parents to the autumn opening of the system, a mid-January close, and April offer notifications.

Parents weighing up the odds should use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check their exact distance and to compare realistic local alternatives. Where demand is high and intakes are small, a precise address-level view is materially more useful than general catchment talk.

Behaviour and personal development are positioned as clear strengths. The most recent inspection describes high expectations for behaviour, with pupils polite, well mannered and respectful of the school environment. For parents, the practical implication is that learning time is less likely to be disrupted, and children who prefer predictable routines often do well in this sort of culture.

Wellbeing is addressed directly through taught content. Pupils learn about managing feelings, making safe choices, and understanding friendship, with explicit attention to online safety. Small-school pastoral care often hinges on adults having high visibility across the day, and this school’s structure supports that, with wraparound care staffed by adults used to working with the same children outside lesson time.

There is also evidence of pupil voice being taken seriously. Formal voting processes for roles, including “pupil polling stations” when pupils stand for school councillor posts, are used to build understanding of democracy in an age-appropriate way. That is personal development translated into a concrete routine, not simply a themed week.

Extracurricular provision is strongest when it is specific and frequent. Here, the examples are unusually concrete for a small primary.

Clubs change through the year, with the school publishing current and recent options. Examples include Boxercise and Fizz Pop Science for Reception to Year 6, multi-sports for Years 1 to 3, basketball for Years 4 to 6, and a lunchtime football club for Years 2 to 6. In practice, this mix suits families who want both movement-based activities and curiosity-led sessions that feel distinct from normal lessons.

Creative and performance opportunities are also visible. The school runs a choir for Key Stage 2 pupils, with performances in assemblies and community events; there is evidence of wider trust events too, including a choir concert held in a local church setting. The implication is that music is a genuine participation opportunity rather than a “nice to have”, particularly when pupils also have access to visiting instrumental teachers, with funded lessons for eligible pupils noted in curriculum information.

There is also a deliberate link between personal development and enrichment. Official material describes partnership work with a university on eco-friendly car design, alongside input from a specialist technology academy to broaden awareness of future careers such as engineering. For a small rural primary, this kind of outward-facing programme is a meaningful differentiator because it gives children reference points beyond their immediate surroundings.

Finally, pupil voice shows up even in clubs planning. A published newsletter describes School Council polling pupils to decide which clubs they wanted next, with cookery, fencing and golf then introduced as options. That is a useful signal that enrichment is responsive rather than fixed, and it builds ownership for children who may not naturally volunteer for clubs unless they feel the menu reflects their interests.

The school day is published as 8.30am to 3.30pm. Wraparound care is available through Care Club, which runs 7.30am to 8.45am and 3.15pm to 5.30pm, with breakfast provided in the morning window. The Care Club page also publishes charges for 2025 to 2026 sessions, which helps families plan ongoing costs alongside a state-funded place.

Travel and parking are a real consideration in a small village location. The school has limited on-site parking and highlights that Elford has a single access and exit route that is shared with larger vehicles at peak times. Its published “Park and Stride” guidance is a sensible prompt to plan drop-off habits carefully, both for safety and for neighbour relations.

• Small intake, limited margin for error. With a published admission number of 12 and recent oversubscription, the practical barrier is entry, especially for families who are not nearby.

• Mixed-age classes are not for every child. This structure can be excellent for independence and peer modelling, but some pupils prefer a tighter single-year identity, and some families want clearer age-based comparisons.

• SEND adaptation needs consistency. The most recent inspection highlights that, at times, curriculum delivery is not adapted well enough for some pupils, including some with SEND, which can limit how well they learn and remember. Parents should ask for concrete examples of adjustments in mixed-age lessons.

• Village logistics at peak times. Limited parking and a constrained road layout mean drop-off and pick-up need planning. This is manageable, but it will matter for families rushing on to work.

The Howard Primary School combines unusually strong KS2 outcomes with the benefits and constraints of a genuinely small village primary. Reading is a clear strength, the wider curriculum is thoughtfully sequenced, and personal development is treated as practical education rather than an add-on. Securing a place is where the difficulty lies.

Best suited to families who want a close-knit setting, value strong basics and high expectations, and are comfortable with mixed-age classes and village logistics.