Acresfield Academy Review 2026: Chester Zoo next door, elite KS2 outcomes, and a long school day that works for working families

There are not many primary schools where class names come straight from Chester Zoo, and where pupils can sometimes hear animals being fed. That sense of place helps Acresfield Academy feel distinctive, even before you get to the numbers.

Academically, results sit among the highest-performing primary schools in England (top 2%). In 2024, 89% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average of 62%. The higher standard figure is equally striking, with 49.67% reaching greater depth compared with 8% across England.

The basics are practical too. The school day is structured around a clear core timetable, but the wider offer is designed to help families, with wraparound provision running from 7.50am to 6.00pm.

Acresfield runs as a one-form entry school serving Upton-by-Chester, with mixed intake from age 3 to 11. A 26-place nursery sits alongside the main school, which shapes the feel of the site and the rhythm of the day.

A defining feature is the school’s use of consistent language and routines. The published “school day” breakdown includes set points for registration, assemblies, breaks and lunchtime, which usually correlates with calm transitions and fewer low-level behaviour issues.

Leadership is stable and visible. The headteacher is Mike Dixon, and school communications, safeguarding oversight, and governance communications are clearly tied back to named senior leaders rather than generic inboxes.

An important contextual detail is inclusion. Acresfield hosts a local authority commissioned specially resourced provision for up to seven pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties. In practice, that means some children’s day includes specialist staffing, adapted learning spaces, and careful integration into school life where appropriate.

Acresfield’s primary outcomes place it among the highest-performing schools in England (top 2%). Ranked 283rd in England and 1st in Chester for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance is strong both nationally and locally.

In 2024, 89% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 49.67% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with 8% across England.

Subject-level indicators support the same picture. In 2024, 90% reached the expected standard in reading, 90% in maths, and 90% in grammar, punctuation and spelling, alongside strong average scaled scores (reading 112; maths 110; GPS 110).

For parents comparing schools locally, the FindMySchool Local Hub pages and the Comparison Tool are useful for viewing outcomes side by side, especially where neighbouring schools have different intakes and admission pressures.

Curriculum documentation on the school website gives a helpful window into how learning is structured. In History, for example, published approaches reference retrieval practice (entry and exit quizzes), explicit vocabulary work, knowledge organisers, and end-of-unit assessments. The intent statement also emphasises local context, with plans referencing local Roman history alongside British and wider world units.

This matters because strong outcomes usually come from consistency rather than last-minute Year 6 intensity. A well-specified curriculum, combined with predictable assessment points, tends to support two groups at once: pupils who need repeated practice to secure basics, and high-attaining pupils who benefit from deeper knowledge and more demanding writing.

Early years is part of that same story. The nursery and Reception stage are not treated as a bolt-on. Nursery transition information sets out a defined daily routine, including staggered settling, consistent gate times, and structured snack and session blocks, which is often where independence habits are established.

As a primary school, the main transition point is into secondary education at age 11. Local authority mapping indicates Upton-by-Chester High School as the linked high school for Acresfield’s area, which gives many families a clear default pathway while still allowing preference-based choices through the local authority process.

The school’s curriculum planning also reflects transition awareness. For example, Year 6 planning references writing a letter for “their high school” and includes language transition work, which suggests preparation is framed as practical readiness rather than anxiety about selection.

Because Acresfield has no published catchment area on its admissions page, families considering longer-term planning should still treat secondary transfer as a separate decision with its own rules and oversubscription pressures.

Reception entry is handled through Cheshire West and Chester’s co-ordinated admissions process rather than a direct application to the school. The school’s own admissions page is explicit about this, and also flags that Acresfield does not have a catchment area, which can affect how families search and shortlist on the council portal.

For September 2026 Reception entry in Cheshire West and Chester, applications open on 1 September 2025 and the on-time closing date is 15 January 2026. Supporting information deadlines can apply in some cases, with a listed deadline of 20 February 2026. National offer day is 16 April 2026.

Demand indicators show a competitive picture. For the Reception entry route, there were 85 applications and 28 offers in the most recent data, which equates to roughly 3.04 applications per place. First preference pressure is also above supply, with a 1.29 ratio of first preferences to offers. In plain terms, many families list the school as a genuine first choice, and not all will secure a place.

The school also notes it is currently at its planned admission number across year groups, and that waiting lists operate where applications exceed places.

If you are considering a move mid-year, in-year applications are referenced on the school site, but outcomes will depend on current year-group capacity rather than headline popularity.

Parents dealing with tight competition should use FindMySchool Map Search to sanity-check practical journey times and to keep a realistic shortlist, especially where the “no catchment area” point can lead to wider application patterns than a traditional distance-defined primary.

Safeguarding leadership is clearly named, with the headteacher as the designated safeguarding lead and the deputy headteacher covering in their absence.

The resourced provision for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties also implies a broader pastoral and inclusion skill-set across staff. Where this is done well, it benefits the wider school, because staff training and routines for communication, regulation, and careful risk assessment can lift practice for many children, not only those with identified needs.

Of course, strong outcomes and high demand can create pressure points. For families with a child who experiences anxiety, struggles with change, or needs extra structure, it is worth exploring how support is delivered day to day, not just whether a policy exists. A visit and a focused conversation about routines, intervention, and communication with parents will be more informative than generic statements.

The clubs programme is unusually specific and changes termly, which makes it easier for parents to picture what “after school” actually looks like. Examples from the current programme include Choir (KS2), Dodgeball, Performance Poetry, Table Tennis Club, Cross Country, Gardening Club, Hand Chimes, Board Games, and an external Digital Wizards club introducing VR and digital skills.

That range matters because it offers different routes into confidence. Choir and hand chimes suit pupils who enjoy structured performance without the intensity of solo music. Gardening is an accessible option for children who regulate better outdoors. Performance poetry builds oracy and stage presence, often benefiting pupils who are bright but quieter in class.

There is also evidence of investment in facilities through the academy trust. Trust materials reference a £450,000 investment programme in facilities since joining the trust, and a separate trust news item references a £20,000 boost towards an all-weather sports area and astroturf-related plans.

The school day is designed for working-family logistics. The school is open from 7.50am to 6.00pm including wraparound care. Doors open at 8.40am with registration at 8.50am. The school day finishes at 3.10pm for Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, and 3.20pm for Key Stage 2.

Drop-off and collection guidance encourages parents into the playground to support communication between home and school. Travel guidance prioritises walking where possible, with bike and scooter storage referenced.

For nursery-aged children, routine information indicates an 8.45am start with home time between 3.10pm and 3.30pm, with settling arrangements described for early weeks.

• Competition for Reception places. With around 3 applications per place on the latest figures, admission is not straightforward. Families should plan with realistic alternatives as well as a first choice.

• No catchment area claim on the school’s admissions page. This can widen the pool of applicants and makes it harder to rely on “living nearby” as a proxy for likely success. Use the local authority admissions information carefully and keep a broader shortlist.

• A long day can be brilliant, or tiring. Wraparound from 7.50am to 6.00pm is a major advantage for some households, but younger children can find a very extended day demanding, especially in the first term of Nursery or Reception.

• Inclusion is real, and visible. The specially resourced provision adds depth to the inclusion offer, but parents should still ask how support is managed in class and at unstructured times, particularly if their child needs calm transitions or predictable routines.

Acresfield Academy combines extremely strong KS2 outcomes with a practical, family-friendly structure, including wraparound hours that many primaries cannot match. The identity is local and distinctive, with Chester Zoo next door influencing everything from class names to the sense of place.

Best suited to families who want very strong academic performance in a one-form entry setting, and who value a school day that can flex around working hours. Securing a place is the main constraint, so a realistic shortlist matters.