Lime Tree Primary Academy

Lime Tree Primary Academy is a welcoming and high-performing primary school. This was its first section 5 inspection following academy conversion; its predecessor had been judged outstanding, and no overall effectiveness grade is now awarded. Inspectors found the quality of education and leadership and management good, with behaviour and attitudes, personal development and early years provision outstanding. Pupils achieve well, behave exceptionally well and are very well prepared for the next stage of their education. The school’s curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced, reading is at the heart of its work, and pupils with SEND are identified and supported effectively. Early years provision is particularly strong, and pupils benefit from a rich personal development programme, including leadership roles, trips, clubs and a strong focus on well-being. Staff are positive and well supported by the trust, and safeguarding is effective. The main area for improvement is that in a small number of subjects, checks on pupils’ understanding do not focus sharply enough on the key knowledge they need for future learning, which can leave gaps. A small number of pupils also attend less regularly than they should, although the school understands the reasons and is working with families to improve this.

Strengths

• Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary and reflects the school’s high expectations.
• The school has an engaging and ambitious curriculum, carefully sequenced from early years to Year 6.
• Reading is central, with high-quality texts and strong support for pupils who struggle.
• Children in the early years get off to a flying start and are exceptionally well prepared for Year 1.
• Pupils with SEND are identified swiftly and supported well so they progress through the curriculum.
• Staff are dedicated, positive about working at the school and benefit from trust-supported expertise.
• Pupils’ personal development is exceptional, including mental health, well-being and preparation for life in modern Britain.
• Pupils take on leadership roles and benefit from a wide range of trips, clubs and creative experiences.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
• Trust and local governing body work effectively to support and challenge the school.
• Pupils are motivated, resilient and demonstrate excellent attitudes to learning.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment checks in a small number of subjects are not focused on the key knowledge pupils need, leaving gaps in some pupils’ learning.
• A small number of pupils do not attend as regularly as they should, although the school is working with families to improve this.

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 Lime Tree Primary Academy attended 96.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.3% 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, 0.6% of pupils at Lime Tree Primary Academy 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 Lime Tree Primary Academy had 28.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 26.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 19.5% of pupils at Lime Tree Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.7% 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 Lime Tree Primary Academy received £6,796 and spent £6,965 for each of its 477 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £175,000 (-£367 per pupil).

Across all 11 schools of Bright Futures Educational Trust, income was £10,531 and spending £10,103 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 Sale · Trafford local authority: places and applications

Lime Tree Primary Academy is part of Bright Futures Educational Trust, which runs 11 schools. The nearest others:

• The Orchards Stretford
• Barton Clough Primary School Manchester
• Elmridge Primary School Altrincham
• Altrincham Grammar School for Girls Altrincham
• Acre Hall Primary School Manchester
• Stanley Grove Primary Academy Longsight
• Cedar Mount Academy Gorton
• Melland High School Gorton
• Rushbrook Primary Academy Manchester
• Marton Primary Academy and Nursery Blackpool

What is Lime Tree Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Lime Tree Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Lime Tree Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Lime Tree Primary Academy was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Lime Tree Primary Academy have?

Lime Tree Primary Academy has 473 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lime Tree Primary Academy cover?

Lime Tree Primary Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Lime Tree Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Lime Tree Primary Academy?

Lime Tree Primary Academy is at Budworth Road, Sale, Cheshire, M33 2RP.