Frodsham Primary Academy

Frodsham Primary Academy is a small sponsor-led primary in the Warrington Primary Academy Trust, catering for pupils aged 2 to 11 and including a specially resourced provision for pupils with autism. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection. Inspectors found that leaders, governors and the trust have been highly successful in turning the school around, and pupils now enjoy a good quality of education. Pupils behave very positively, feel welcome and included, and achieve well; in 2024 the proportion reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics in Year 6 was above the national average. The curriculum is carefully designed and staff are well trained, with early reading and phonics given high priority. Pupils with SEND are identified early and supported skilfully, including those with more complex needs in the specially resourced provision. Personal development is a notable strength, with a broad range of trips, clubs, arts and sport helping pupils build confidence and learn about the wider world. Governance is strong, support and challenge are balanced, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. The main area for improvement is attendance. Although the school has prioritised attendance and works with pupils and families to understand the reasons for absence, some pupils still do not attend well enough and therefore miss out on the school’s high-quality education and wider opportunities.

Strengths

• Leadership, governance and trust support have transformed the school.
• The curriculum is carefully designed and reflects pupils’ local context and needs.
• Staff receive regular training and have secure subject knowledge.
• Early reading and phonics are given high priority and pupils become fluent readers.
• Pupils with SEND are identified early and supported skilfully to access the same curriculum.
• Pupils’ personal development is exceptionally well provided for through trips, clubs, arts and sport.
• Pupils behave very positively, are polite and inclusive, and older pupils act as strong role models.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
• Governance provides strong support and challenge while being mindful of staff workload.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils do not attend school well enough and miss out on the school’s education and personal development.

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 Frodsham Primary Academy attended 91.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 32.1% 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, 1.2% of pupils at Frodsham 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 Frodsham Primary Academy had 10.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 21.2% of pupils at Frodsham Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 21.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has resourced provision with 16 pupils.

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 Frodsham Primary Academy received £12,976 and spent £12,100 for each of its 82 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £160,000 (£1,951 per pupil).

Across all 9 schools of Warrington Primary Academy Trust, income was £7,245 and spending £7,000 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 Frodsham · Cheshire West and Chester local authority: places and applications

Frodsham Primary Academy is part of Warrington Primary Academy Trust, which runs 9 schools. The nearest others:

• Kingsway Primary Academy School Widnes
• Ditton Primary School Widnes
• Penketh Primary School Warrington
• Evelyn Street Primary Academy and Nursery Warrington
• Alderman Bolton Primary School Warrington
• Callands Primary Academy Warrington
• Beamont Primary School Warrington
• Bruche Academy Warrington

What is Frodsham Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Frodsham Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in April 2025.

When was Frodsham Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Frodsham Primary Academy was last inspected in April 2025.

How many pupils does Frodsham Primary Academy have?

Frodsham Primary Academy has 80 pupils on roll.

What age range does Frodsham Primary Academy cover?

Frodsham Primary Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

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

In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Frodsham Primary Academy?

Frodsham Primary Academy is at Ship Street, Frodsham, Cheshire, WA6 7PZ.