Skip to content
SchoolPatch
SecondaryState · Free schools

The Rural Enterprise Academy

Rodbaston Drive, Penkridge, Staffordshire, ST19 5PH ·

Ofsted:Inadequate· 2024
Compare

At a glance

A state secondary free school for ages 11–16 in Penkridge. Rated Inadequate at its last graded Ofsted inspection (July 2024). GCSE results are well below the England average (Attainment 8: 37.6 vs 46.1, 2024/25). 24 families put it first for 24 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages
11–16
Pupils
217
Gender
Mixed
Sixth form
No
Admissions
Non-selective
Local authority
Staffordshire
Academy trust
PENK VALLEY ACADEMY TRUST
Headteacher
Mrs Annabel Stoddart
Opened
Sept 2012

Inspection

Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)

Read reports
Graded inspection 9 Jul 2024
InadequateOverall effectiveness
Quality of education
Inadequate
Behaviour and attitudes
Inadequate
Personal development
Requires improvement
Leadership and management
Inadequate

Safeguarding effective: No

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 54 pupils

Attainment 8
37.6
England 46.1
Grade 5+ Eng & maths
16.7%
England 45.4%
Grade 4+ Eng & maths
44.4%
England 64.8%
Progress 8
-0.21
2023/24 · CI -0.68 to 0.26
This school
37.6
Staffordshire
43.9
England
46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

Search for your address on the map to see straight-line distances to schools.

Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made
24
1st preferences
24
All applications
44
1st prefs per place
1.00
Fewer first choices than places

24 of 24 first-preference applicants were offered a place (100%). 5 offers went to families living in another council area.

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils
240
Capacity
300
72% full
Girls / boys
46/54
Mixed
  • Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)25%
  • English as an additional language0%
  • SEN support29.2%
  • Education, Health and Care plan6.7%
  • The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.
The Rural Enterprise Academy, Penkridge · SchoolPatch