Acton Church of England Primary Academy

Acton Church of England Primary Academy has demonstrated overall good performance in its first inspection since becoming an academy. The school excels in creating a calm and nurturing environment where pupils are happy and engaged. High expectations and exemplary behavior are evident among students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), who achieve well across the curriculum. However, there are identified areas for improvement in the delivery of recently revised curriculum content, which sometimes lacks sufficient depth in teacher training and pupil understanding.

Strengths

• Pupils exhibit exemplary behavior and strong respect for others.
• The school has high expectations, which pupils consistently meet.
• Strong emphasis on reading with effective phonics instruction.
• Curriculum is well-ordered and prepares pupils effectively for future learning.
• Pupils enjoy a wide range of extracurricular sporting opportunities.

Areas for Improvement

• In a few subjects, leaders and teachers lack the required knowledge to deliver new curriculums effectively.
• Opportunities for pupils to revisit essential knowledge and skills are sometimes insufficient.

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 Acton Church of England Primary Academy attended 95.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.1% 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 Acton Church of England 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 Acton Church of England Primary Academy had 21.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.0% 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, 9.7% of pupils at Acton Church of England Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.6% 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 Acton Church of England Primary Academy received £6,784 and spent £6,747 for each of its 176 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £67,000 (£381 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of North West Academies Trust Limited, income was £7,268 and spending £7,172 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 Nantwich · Cheshire East local authority: places and applications

Acton Church of England Primary Academy is part of North West Academies Trust Limited, which runs 14 schools. The nearest others:

• Kingsbourne Academy Nantwich
• Millfields Primary Academy Nantwich
• Calveley Primary Academy Tarporley
• The Oak View Academy Winsford
• St John's CofE Academy Sandbach
• Delamere CofE Primary Academy Tarporley
• Tilston Parochial CofE Primary Academy Malpas
• Weaverham Primary Academy Northwich
• The Rudheath Senior Academy Northwich
• St Martin's Academy Chester Chester

What is Acton Church of England Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Acton Church of England Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was Acton Church of England Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Acton Church of England Primary Academy was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does Acton Church of England Primary Academy have?

Acton Church of England Primary Academy has 195 pupils on roll.

What age range does Acton Church of England Primary Academy cover?

Acton Church of England Primary Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Acton Church of England Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 84% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Acton Church of England Primary Academy?

Acton Church of England Primary Academy is at Chester Road, Acton, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 8LG.