School Chooser

Weaverham Primary Academy

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademy113 pupilsNorthwichCheshire West and Chester
School Chooser Score
22
Below
similar schools
Likely range 8 to 53, so it could be “well below”
Out of 100. Better than 40% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, January 2023
Reached the expected level at 1138%England 63%
Attendance94.2%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families35%Far more than most schools
Places97 spare113 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher20.1School workforce census

Weaverham Primary Academy is a sponsored academy in Northwich for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 113 pupils and room for 210. About 35 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 22 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 40% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Northwich Road, Northwich, CW8 3BD01606 852148weaverhamacademy.org.ukMrs Jocasta Price headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 17 January 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

21 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1138%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level10%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score100.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score102.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 47%47%20172018: 57%57%20182019: 39%39%20192023: 58%58%20232024: 57%57%20242025: 38%38%2025
Since 2017: -9%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure2025202420232019†2018†2017†Cheshire West and ChesterEngland
Pupils tested212112181417
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths38%57%58%39%57%47%62%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths10%10%0%0%0%6%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score100.0105.0102.099.0101.0101.0105.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score102.0103.0100.0101.0103.0103.0104.5104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0104.0102.0101.0105.0107.0105.2105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard57%90%75%50%64%65%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard52%62%58%61%79%71%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)48%76%75%50%64%76%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.8-1.4-3.9-2.5
Maths progressMaths progress score-1.4-1.5-1.6-0.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged38%50%22%25%22%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged38%62%56%100%75%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

† These results are for University Primary Academy Weaverham, the school this one replaced in November 2018. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 3 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
38%38%
No gapEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
40%36%
Gap 4 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%10%
Gap 10 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Plenty of spare places116 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
55% full

94 places were empty (45% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 26% since 2021/22.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Cheshire West and Chester council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll113Census January 2026
Places21054% full
Pupils from low-income families35%35% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English3%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support17%19 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan5%6 pupils with a plan
Average class size22.65 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)40%£69,750 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls54 / 59
White British pupils89%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 21.3 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 24.5 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (8), Specific learning difficulty (6), Autistic spectrum disorder (2), Moderate learning difficulty (2), Physical disability (2), emotional and mental health (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll113113104829594
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals35%43%41%38%41%40%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language3%5%5%5%4%4%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support21%20%24%23%21%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%4%2%2%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.2%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school17.2%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils2.72024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.1%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.8%5.6%5.3%7.5%4.3%5.7%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.8%4.4%4.1%6.1%3.5%4.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.1%1.2%1.2%1.3%0.9%1.3%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence17.2%14.8%13.9%24.1%13.8%22.2%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate2.71.00.01.12.1
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers5.6full-time equivalent, 8 people
Pupils per teacher20.1Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants5.2full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£49,289
Teachers who left in the year16%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher1.02024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£7,602England £7,128. Total £859k
Income per pupil£7,973England £7,587. Total £901k
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,628England £3,405
Money in reserve-11%In the red: -£95k, -£840 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£42kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,602spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m12012 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate39 per 1,000 people57% lower than the England average
Typical house price£260,000Cheshire West and Chester
Nearest bus stop70 mNorthwich Road, 9 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St Bede's Catholic Primary School, WeaverhamRoman Catholic630 m151Good 202378Compare
Weaverham Forest Primary SchoolCouncil820 m225Good 202213Compare
Barnton Community Nursery and Primary SchoolAcademy1.4 miles482Outstanding 202394Compare
Little Leigh Primary SchoolAcademy1.5 miles138Good 202338Compare
Hartford Primary SchoolAcademy1.6 miles396Good 202168Compare
Winnington Park Community Primary and Nursery SchoolCouncil1.6 miles420Report card 202645Compare
Hartford Manor Primary School & NurseryCouncil1.7 miles442Good 202378Compare
Sandiway Primary SchoolAcademy1.8 miles202No overall grade 202584Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Weaverham Primary Academy with the 45 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 45 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats40%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 22 is 8 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 30 · highest 75100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 22 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 22% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 8 to 53. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%below
-0.19
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 21 pupils
Ofsted inspection18% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.7 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.05
DfE progress measure; 21 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.04
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.05
2024/25; 99 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.06
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 21 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Weaverham Primary Academy a good school?

The figures are weak. Weaverham Primary Academy scores 22 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 40% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 8 to 53, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Weaverham Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Weaverham Primary Academy good at its last full inspection on 17 January 2023.

How good are Weaverham Primary Academy's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 38% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 10% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Weaverham Primary Academy have?

113 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 54% full.

Is Weaverham Primary Academy oversubscribed?

Probably not. 94 places were empty in 2024/25 (45% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Weaverham Primary Academy?

Pupils were in school 94.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 17% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Weaverham Primary Academy?

The average class had 22.6 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Northwich Road, Northwich, CW8 3BD
Telephone
01606 852148
Website
www.weaverhamacademy.org.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Jocasta Price
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
None
Multi-academy trust
North West Academies Trust Limited (14 schools)
Local authority
Cheshire West and Chester
Ward
Weaver & Cuddington
Constituency
Chester South and Eddisbury
Setting
Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 November 2018 (fresh start)
URN
146642 · LAESTAB 8962008 · UKPRN 10081773
Formerly
University Primary Academy Weaverham

Where these figures come from