School profile

John Taylor Free School

Secondary · Free schools · Burton-on-Trent, DE13 9SA

Good

Map showing John Taylor Free School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,976 of 3,312

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#1,625 of 2,536

Worse than 64% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

John Taylor Free School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 14 Feb 2023

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeFree schools
Ages11 to 19
Pupils1,315
GenderMixed
Head teacherMrs Sophie Martin
TrustJOHN TAYLOR MAT
Local authorityStaffordshire
Opened03 Sept 2018
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 145889.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolStaffordshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.44.1, worse than England-46.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.64.8%, similar to England-64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.37.6%, worse than England-46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.11.3%, worse than England-14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths56.8%, worse than England-60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4213--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolStaffordshireEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.31.41, worse than England-35
Average A-level gradeC--
Average points, best three A-levels31.61, worse than England-35.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC--
AAB or better8.4%, worse than England-17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.07, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study99--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit---

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,315
Girls662
Boys653
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.22.1%
First language not English27.5%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,550
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.15.2%
Sixth form places2024/25350
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.186
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.31
Average class size23.5

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
47.5%
Pakistani
17.4%
Other White
10.3%
Other Asian
3.3%
Other ethnic group
3.1%
White and Black Caribbean
2.7%
Other mixed
2.4%
Indian
1.8%
White and Asian
1.7%
African
1.1%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher17.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10.8
Teachers (FTE)75.9
Teaching assistants (FTE)25.28
Support staff (FTE)67.97
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2585.2
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2569.1
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/2513.3
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/252.8

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.181
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.426
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.173
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.173
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)28

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolStaffordshireEngland
Overall absence7.6%, similar to England-8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.22.6%, similar to England-21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.4%, better than England-3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate30%
Pupils with one or more suspensions12%
Permanent exclusion rate0.8%
Permanent exclusions10

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.93.7%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.88.8%
School sixth form45.7%
Further education42.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.4.9%
Apprenticeship3.1%
Employment1.8%
Sixth form college0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near John Taylor Free School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.4 miPrimaryBranston Locks Primary and Nursery SchoolFree schools
Unrated
0.7 miPrimaryRykneld Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.3 miSecondaryPaget High SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.3 miPrimaryHenhurst Ridge Primary AcademyFree schools
Good
1.6 miPrimaryShobnall Primary & Nursery SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding

Frequently asked questions about John Taylor Free School

What is John Taylor Free School's Ofsted rating?

John Taylor Free School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 14 Feb 2023.

How does John Taylor Free School rank in England?

John Taylor Free School ranks 1,976 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (similar to most schools) and 1,625 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 64% of schools).

What are John Taylor Free School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 37.6% of pupils at John Taylor Free School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 44.1 (England 46.2).

What are John Taylor Free School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at John Taylor Free School was C, and 8.4% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into John Taylor Free School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, John Taylor Free School made 181 offers from 426 applications (2.4 per offer), and 173 of 173 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend John Taylor Free School?

John Taylor Free School has 1,315 pupils aged 11 to 19.

What is the capacity of John Taylor Free School?

John Taylor Free School had 1,550 school places in 2024/25.

Does John Taylor Free School have a sixth form?

Yes, John Taylor Free School has a sixth form with 350 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at John Taylor Free School?

At John Taylor Free School, the average class had 23.5 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 17.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at John Taylor Free School?

In 2025/26, pupils at John Taylor Free School missed 7.6% of sessions (England 8%), and 22.6% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.