Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School

Stretton St Matthew’s CofE Primary School is a highly effective primary school where pupils are happy, behave exceptionally well and achieve strongly. This was its first section 5 inspection, although the predecessor school had previously been judged outstanding, and it is now an academy within the Chester Diocesan Academies Trust. Inspectors found the quality of education, leadership and behaviour to be exceptional, with a well-designed curriculum, strong teaching and very high expectations. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, learn exceptionally well and leave Year 6 well prepared for secondary school. Reading is a clear foundation, and children in Reception get off to a quick start with letters and sounds; pupils with additional needs are supported to catch up. The curriculum is carefully planned and staff check learning closely, helping pupils deepen their understanding. Personal development is strong, with a wide range of clubs, leadership roles, musical opportunities and work on British values. Attendance is high, safeguarding is effective, and governance and trust support are strong. Staff feel well supported. The main area for improvement is the early years. Children learn well in reading and mathematics, but during more informal learning opportunities staff are less confident in deepening children’s learning, so some children do not make as much progress across the early years curriculum as they could. The school should provide the guidance and training needed so all areas of learning are delivered equally well.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, proud of their school and have warm, caring relationships with staff.
• Behaviour is exemplary, and pupils are highly attentive and respectful.
• The curriculum is carefully designed and meets pupils’ needs exceptionally well.
• Staff have strong subject knowledge and teach confidently.
• Regular practice and recall help pupils develop exceptionally secure understanding.
• Staff check learning closely and address misconceptions effectively.
• Early reading is taught well, and pupils develop a love of reading.
• Pupils with SEND are identified swiftly and achieve highly.
• Disadvantaged pupils achieve exceptionally well.
• Pupils benefit from a wide range of clubs, enrichment and leadership roles.
• Personal development is strong, including British values and understanding of others.
• Attendance is high, and the school supports families effectively.
• Governance and trust oversight are strong, and staff workload and wellbeing are prioritised.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• In some early years areas, staff are less confident in supporting children’s learning during informal opportunities.
• Some children do not make as much progress through the early years curriculum as they could.
• Staff need guidance and training so all early years areas of learning are delivered equally well.

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 Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.6% 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, 0.5% of pupils at Stretton St Matthew's CofE 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 Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School had 24.9 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, 11.5% of pupils at Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.4% 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 Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School received £6,145 and spent £6,177 for each of its 207 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £137,000 (£662 per pupil).

Across all 27 schools of Chester Diocesan Academies Trust, income was £6,299 and spending £6,313 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 Warrington · Warrington local authority: places and applications

Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School is part of Chester Diocesan Academies Trust, which runs 32 schools. The nearest others:

• St Thomas' CofE Primary School Warrington
• St Berteline's CofE Primary School Runcorn
• St Mary's Church of England Primary School Runcorn
• Kingsley St John's CofE Primary School Frodsham
• Little Bollington CofE Primary School Altrincham
• Norley Church of England Primary School Frodsham
• Warmingham CofE Primary School Sandbach
• Huxley CofE Primary School Chester
• Brereton CofE Primary School Sandbach
• Upton Heath CofE Primary School Chester

What is Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School have?

Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School has 209 pupils on roll.

What age range does Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School cover?

Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School?

Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School is at Stretton Road, Stretton, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 4NT.