Church Lawton School

Special free school · All-through, ages 4 to 19 · Mixed · Sixth form

Part of LIBERTY ACADEMY TRUST LTD.

Cherry Tree Avenue, Church Lawton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST7 3EL

01270 877601 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 16 November 2022
Grade 5 or above in English and maths46%England 45% · 2024/25
Pupils86Room for 84 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 63 in 2019, 65 in 2021, 67 in 2022, 71 in 2023, 75 in 2024, 84 in 2025, 86 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals30%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 16 November 2022.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Sixth formGood
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

7 pupils in this year group.

Only 7 pupils took these tests, so results can change a lot from year to year. Compare with care.

0% — 65 points below the Cheshire East average, and 62 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolCheshire EastEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 65% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 7% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 57% 79% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 0% 75% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 29% 77% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 102 106 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 95 105 105
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2023/24: 0%This school 2024/25: 0% This school England 62% 2022/23 – 2023/24 0% 2024/25 0%

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

11 pupils in this year group.

46% — about the same as the Cheshire East average, and about the same as the England average.

MeasureThis schoolCheshire EastEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 46% 45% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. 39.4 47.1 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 3.8 4.1 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 10%This school 2023/24: 21%This school 2024/25: 46% This school England 45% 2022/23 10% 2023/24 21% 2024/25 46%

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

10 pupils in this year group.

90% — 4 points below the Cheshire East average, and 2 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolCheshire EastEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 90% 94% 92%
School sixth form 0% 40% 34%
Sixth form college 0% 7% 13%
Further education college 50% 40% 37%
Apprenticeship 0% 3% 3%
Work 0% 3% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
89%90%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Cheshire East. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Cheshire East

Pupils, staff and SEND

This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round.

PupilsThis schoolCheshire EastEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 30.4% 40.3%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 99.6%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 0.4%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 0.0% 4.3%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 10.4% 13.3%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 28.8% 32.6%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 1.2 3.1 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 1.2% 2.1% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.00% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 5.6 5.5 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 1.8 2.2 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 9.0% 7.6%* 14.3%*

Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).

Nearby special schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Church Lawton School's Ofsted rating?

Church Lawton School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 16 November 2022.

How did Church Lawton School do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 46% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, about the same as the England average of 45%.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.