Whirley Primary School

Whirley Primary School is a good school where pupils thrive academically and personally. The school was judged to be 'Strong standard' in early years and personal development and wellbeing, and 'Expected standard' in achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, and leadership and governance. Pupils achieve well, with attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 consistently close to or above the national average, and attendance rates that are well above the national average. The school's early years provision is particularly strong, with a relentless focus on high expectations and an ambitious curriculum that ensures children get off to the best possible start, including for those with SEND. Pupils benefit from a rich personal development programme, including the 'Whirley Dukes' enrichment programme and residential trips, which build confidence, independence and resilience. Behaviour is typically good, and pupils are polite, caring and respectful.

Strengths

• Early years provision is strong, with high expectations and an ambitious curriculum that ensures children get off to a flying start.
• Pupils with barriers to learning, including those with SEND, are supported well in the early years to achieve and thrive.
• Personal development is a strength, with a well-designed enrichment programme that builds life skills and confidence.
• Pupils develop a secure understanding of fundamental British values and respect for diversity.
• Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 is consistently close to or above the national average.
• Pupils excel in reading by the end of key stage 2, building on secure foundations from the early years.
• Attendance is consistently above the national average for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils.
• Leaders have high expectations for behaviour, and pupils are typically polite, caring and well mannered.
• The curriculum is broad and ambitious, and staff have the knowledge and expertise to deliver it well.
• Inclusion is a high priority, with effective early identification of needs and strong partnership working with external agencies.
• Disadvantaged pupils are well supported and participate fully in all that the school offers.
• Leadership and governance are effective, with strong support from the trust and a clear focus on pupils' best interests.
• Staff feel valued and supported, and leaders consider workload carefully when introducing change.
• Parents and carers typically describe the school as a special place.

Areas for Improvement

• At times, some teachers do not consistently match work to the stage of learning of pupils with SEND, particularly in subjects other than English and mathematics, which can hinder these pupils from building their knowledge securely.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Whirley Primary School attended 96.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Whirley Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Whirley Primary School had 25.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2023–24, 7.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 17.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 9.9% of pupils at Whirley Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Whirley Primary School received £6,278 and spent £6,401 for each of its 213 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £117,000 (£551 per pupil).

Across all 11 schools of Halliard Trust, income was £7,664 and spending £7,704 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Macclesfield · Cheshire East local authority: places and applications

Whirley Primary School is part of Halliard Trust, which runs 12 schools. The nearest others:

• The Fallibroome Academy Macclesfield
• Broken Cross Primary Academy and Nursery Macclesfield
• Upton Priory School Macclesfield
• Marlborough Primary School Macclesfield
• Gawsworth Primary School Macclesfield
• Nether Alderley Primary School Macclesfield
• Alderley Edge Community Primary School Alderley Edge
• Adlington Primary School Macclesfield
• Lower Park School Stockport
• Eaton Bank Academy Congleton

What is Whirley Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Whirley Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Whirley Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Whirley Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Whirley Primary School have?

Whirley Primary School has 212 pupils on roll.

What age range does Whirley Primary School cover?

Whirley Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Whirley Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Whirley Primary School?

Whirley Primary School is at Whirley Road, Broken Cross, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 3JL.