Ash Grove Academy Review 2026: Rights Respecting primary with strong KS2 outcomes

A Gold Rights Respecting School status sets the tone here, children are expected to understand rights, responsibilities, and how their choices affect others.

The most recent inspection (15 and 16 May 2024) judged Ash Grove Academy Outstanding across every area, including early years provision. That external verdict aligns with the school’s own emphasis on high expectations, calm routines, and a curriculum that takes reading and foundational knowledge seriously.

For families weighing the local market, the headline academic picture is solid. In 2024, 73% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. Higher standard outcomes (23%) also sit well above the England benchmark (8%).

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Practical costs still exist, think uniform expectations, trips, and paid wraparound sessions where applicable, so it is worth reading the small print early.

The school’s identity is closely tied to children’s rights, voice, and leadership. The language of responsibilities is not just a poster exercise, pupils are given structured roles, including subject ambassadors and playground leaders, and that responsibility is treated as part of personal development rather than a bolt-on.

There is also a clear “whole child” thread to how the school talks about readiness for the next stage. Personal development is framed around physical health, mental health, relationships (including online), and recognising risk as pupils move towards secondary school. For parents, the implication is that pastoral work is baked into daily routines and curriculum choices, not left solely to assemblies.

Leadership is clearly signposted on official channels. The Principal is Mrs Sally Veale, supported by a Vice Principal, and the senior team also holds key safeguarding responsibilities. The operational detail matters because it signals how accessible decision-makers may be when issues arise, especially around attendance, wellbeing, or additional needs.

Early years is a meaningful part of the story. The school added provision for two-year-olds in September 2020, and inspection evidence describes children learning routines quickly and responding well to consistent expectations. If you are choosing between nursery routes locally, this is a helpful indicator that transition and behaviour routines are not left to chance.

The performance story is strongest when you look at both attainment and the shape of outcomes across subjects.

Key Stage 2 (2024)

• Expected standard (reading, writing, mathematics combined): 73%, compared with an England average of 62%.

• Higher standard (reading, writing, mathematics combined): 23%, compared with an England average of 8%.

• Scaled scores: reading 108; mathematics 106; grammar, punctuation and spelling 110.

These figures suggest two things for parents. First, most pupils are reaching the core benchmark by the end of Year 6. Second, there is a meaningful top end, with a higher-standard rate well above the England comparison, implying that higher prior attainers are being stretched, not simply maintained.

FindMySchool rankings (based on official data)

Ranked 2,109th in England and 6th in the Macclesfield area for primary outcomes, this places the school above the England average and comfortably within the top 25% of primaries in England. (FindMySchool ranking based on official data.)

If you are comparing nearby schools, the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool can help you view these outcomes side by side, using the same methodology across settings.

Reading is treated as a cornerstone rather than a single subject. The inspection evidence highlights the effectiveness of early reading, including strong support for pupils who need extra help to keep up with phonics expectations. On the practical side, published guidance describes how phonics teaching continues beyond the very early stages when needed, with targeted catch-up sessions in Years 2 to 6 designed to address specific gaps.

Support is also structured rather than ad hoc. The school describes “Precision Teaching” as a daily one-to-one approach used from Reception to Year 6 to secure basic skills such as phonemes, spellings, and times tables facts, with ongoing assessment to determine next steps. For families, the implication is that intervention is framed around measurable building blocks, which can be reassuring if your child has uneven attainment or has missed time.

The curriculum is not narrowly academic. There is clear evidence of arts and performance being used as part of development and confidence-building, from Reception curriculum content that includes music, art, and performance preparation, to wider-school events and productions. The key question for parents is not whether enrichment exists, but whether it feels coherent. Here, the published material suggests it is connected to vocabulary development, confidence, and purposeful speaking as well as enjoyment.

For a primary school, “destinations” is less about published statistics and more about transition readiness and breadth of experience.

Transition work is explicitly planned through the Year 6 PSHE curriculum, including structured discussion of goals, aspirations, and the emotional side of moving to secondary school. That matters because many pupils who are academically secure still find transition challenging, the difference between coping and thriving is often preparation, not ability.

Experiences beyond the classroom also contribute to readiness. The school publishes a structured enrichment pattern that includes residential experiences and cultural capital building. Examples include a one-night residential at Delamere Forest for Key Stage 2, a two-night residential at Robinwood Activity Centre in Year 6, and a London cultural day trip that includes major landmarks and a live theatre production. The implication is that pupils are exposed to independence, teamwork, and unfamiliar settings before secondary, which often helps confidence.

Reception admissions are coordinated through the local authority. For September 2026 entry, the online application window opened on 01 September 2025 and the closing date was 15 January 2026. Offers are due on 16 April 2026, with the deadline for accepting or refusing places on 30 April 2026.

Demand is real. The most recent published local figures show 71 applications for 30 offers for the primary intake route, which is around 2.37 applications per place, and the school is recorded as oversubscribed. Put plainly, this is not a school to leave as a late decision.

Visits matter because they help families judge fit early, especially for nursery and Reception. For the 2026 Reception intake cycle, the school published appointment-style open sessions across October and November (these dates sat in the autumn term before the September 2026 start). For future cohorts, you should expect a similar early autumn pattern and check the current schedule.

If you are using distance as a deciding factor for school choice, it is sensible to use FindMySchoolMap Search to check your precise distance against local alternatives, even when a single “last distance offered” figure is not published in the data you have to hand.

Safeguarding is treated as a core operational priority and has clear named leadership. Inspectors confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Beyond statutory safeguarding, the school publishes a whole-school approach to emotional resilience and mental health, including named pastoral support, check-ins, nurture-style sessions, and a clear emphasis on trusted adults being available throughout the day. One distinctive detail is the use of an in-school visiting dog for informal pet-therapy style support, described in the wellbeing policy. For some pupils, especially those who are anxious or struggle with self-regulation, these small routines can be a practical part of keeping school manageable.

Attendance is also treated as a wellbeing indicator rather than a compliance issue. Inspection evidence describes successful work to reduce persistent absence by identifying and addressing the reasons behind non-attendance. Parents weighing the school should see this as a sign of proactive systems rather than reactive sanctions.

A strong primary offer is usually defined by consistency and specificity, not the length of a club list. Here, there are several named features that make the programme feel intentional.

Outdoor learning and wider experiences

Forest School appears as a genuine curriculum thread, referenced in published subject planning and learning activities (including habitat work and local nature study). Add in the structured residential programme and the cultural London day, and you get a picture of enrichment that is planned, recurring, and linked to curriculum topics.

Oracy, creativity, and confidence-building

Reception information references Drawing Club and Helicopter Stories, both of which are well-known approaches for developing storytelling, vocabulary, and confidence in early years settings. The school also signposts performance and arts work within curriculum planning, and published materials include structured music content such as ukulele tuition and end-of-term performances. The practical implication is that children who are less naturally academic still have routes to shine and build confidence, while higher attainers gain breadth rather than being pushed into narrow test preparation.

Sport and activity

The PE and Sport Premium reporting indicates before-school sport and after-school sport clubs offered free of charge for pupils, alongside pathways and targeted support for disadvantaged pupils. For families, this can make participation more equitable, especially when other costs, such as paid wraparound care, exist elsewhere in the week.

The school day is structured with a conventional primary timetable and additional wraparound. Published class information indicates doors open from 08:45, with collection around 15:20 for at least some year groups.

Wraparound childcare is explicitly provided. Breakfast club starts at 07:30; after-school provision runs into the early evening (published documents reference provision to 17:45, and class information references after-school club ending at 18:00). Where charges apply, this is handled through the school’s policies rather than informally.

For transport planning, Macclesfield has strong local road links and a mainline railway station. In practice, most families will be looking at walkability, parking constraints at drop-off, and how wraparound pickup times fit with commuting patterns.

• Competition for places. Recent figures show 71 applications for 30 offers, which is around 2.37 applications per place. If this is your preferred option, apply on time and treat backup choices seriously.

• Early years structure matters. Provision includes two-year-olds as well as nursery and Reception. That is a positive for continuity, but it also means you should ask clear questions about progression expectations and how places are managed between phases.

• Wraparound can involve cost. Breakfast and after-school provision is available and clearly described, but some elements may be chargeable depending on use. Factor this into budgeting and weekly logistics.

• High expectations can feel demanding for some children. The inspection evidence points to very strong behaviour and ambitious expectations. That suits many pupils well, but children who find structure hard may need time and support to settle.

Ash Grove Academy combines an Outstanding inspection profile with KS2 outcomes that sit above England averages, and it does so within a clear values framework built around children’s rights and responsibility. The offer is strongest for families who want structured routines, early reading taken seriously, and enrichment that includes outdoor learning and big shared experiences.

Who it suits: families looking for a high-expectations, community-minded primary with wraparound options and a clear personal development spine. The limiting factor is admission, competition for places is the obstacle, so plan early.