The Grange School, Runcorn Review 2026: An all-through route from Nursery to GCSEs, with clear routines and strong early reading

Primary outcomes (Key Stage 2)

In 2024, 79.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, which is above the England average of 62%. The higher standard measure is 21.67%, compared with an England average of 8%, suggesting a meaningful proportion working at greater depth. Reading performance is a particular strength, with 85% meeting the expected standard, alongside average scaled scores of 105 in reading and 103 in maths.

Rankings provide a broader context. Ranked 9,160th in England and 13th locally for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits below England average overall, despite the strong 2024 combined expected standard headline.

For parents, the implication is that outcomes have likely varied across cohorts. If you are considering the primary phase, it is worth asking how leaders are sustaining consistency year on year, and what support looks like for pupils at both ends of the attainment range.

Secondary outcomes (GCSE)

At GCSE level, the reported headline measures are more challenging. Attainment 8 is 33.5, and Progress 8 is -0.84. The average EBacc APS is 2.93, and 7.3% achieved grades 5 or above across EBacc subjects in the same reporting period.

Rankings align with that picture. Ranked 3,546th in England and 3rd locally for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results sit below England average though the local position indicates it can be relatively competitive among nearby comparators.

The practical implication is that families should look beyond headline messages and focus on fit. If your child responds well to clear routines, consistent behaviour expectations, and frequent checking of understanding, the school’s approach may suit. If your child needs a highly academic peer environment to maintain motivation through Key Stage 4, you should explore how subject support, intervention, and option pathways are structured.

The curriculum narrative is explicit about coherence and challenge, with an emphasis on embedding knowledge and building independence over time. That is helpful in an all-through school because it creates a shared language for learning between primary and secondary staff.

One distinctive feature is the way some secondary specialist teaching is used earlier. In Design Technology, the school states that specialist staff from the secondary phase deliver lessons in textiles and food in the primary phase. The benefit is twofold: pupils meet specialist expectations earlier, and transition into Key Stage 3 practical subjects can be smoother because foundational routines and safety expectations are already in place.

Reading is treated as a core priority from early years onwards. Formal observations describe early reading beginning in nursery when children are ready, with training for staff and an approach where books are matched closely to phonics knowledge so pupils build fluency systematically. For families, this is often the clearest marker of academic seriousness in the early years, because it affects access to the whole curriculum later.

There is no sixth form, so the main transition points are:

• Nursery to Reception

• Primary to secondary (Year 6 to Year 7, usually internal)

• GCSE to post-16 providers elsewhere

The all-through structure means internal progression is a central part of the model. Pupils already attending in Year 6 automatically transfer into Year 7 and do not need to complete a preference form for that internal move. The local authority primary admissions booklet also describes automatic progression for children enrolled in the nursery, with a clear caution that if families apply elsewhere, that removes the right to automatic transfer.

Demand signals are present in both entry routes. For the primary entry route, there were 97 applications for 57 offers, with the school recorded as oversubscribed. For the secondary entry route, there were 264 applications for 144 offers, also oversubscribed. In plain terms, that is around 1.7 applications per place for primary and 1.83 applications per place for secondary in the relevant data period.

Reception and primary entry

Primary admissions are coordinated through the local authority common application process. The school’s determined admissions timetable for 2026 to 2027 sets the primary application deadline as 15 January, with offers made on 16 April.

Oversubscription criteria prioritise children in care, siblings, children of staff (under specified conditions), then distance, measured by the local authority address point system. The school’s local authority booklet also highlights how nursery enrolment links to primary transfer, and flags the risk of joining nursery after key deadlines if a family expects a guaranteed onward place.

Year 7 entry (external applicants)

Because most Year 7 places are taken by internal transfer, external applicants are competing for the remaining places. The 2026 to 2027 secondary admissions timetable notes a common application form deadline of 31 October, with offers issued on 1 March.

For families planning ahead, the most useful action is to treat Year 7 entry as two separate scenarios: internal transition (almost automatic), and external application (competitive). FindMySchool’s Map Search is helpful here for understanding how your home location might interact with distance criteria, even when last-offered distance figures are not published.

Safeguarding is explicitly confirmed as effective in the most recent inspection evidence, and staff training and vigilance are described as embedded. Beyond safeguarding, the broader wellbeing picture is grounded in three practical features: consistent behaviour expectations, calm social spaces, and the confidence pupils report in staff responsiveness when problems arise.

The school also operates a specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, described as catering for 32 pupils with autism spectrum disorder across Key Stages 1 to 4. For families considering support, the best next step is to ask how this provision interacts with mainstream classes and what the referral and review processes look like.

Extracurricular life is particularly important in an all-through school because it shapes pupil identity. The strongest evidence here is the published enrichment timetable, which is specific rather than generic.

Examples include:

• STEM Club, alongside Homework Club and Debating Club

• Kazoo Choir and Choir (listed separately), plus a dedicated Drama Club in the Drama Studio

• Façade Historical Board Games Club, which suggests a deliberate link between humanities and enrichment

• A range of low-barrier wellbeing and social options, including Mindfulness and Wordle Club

Sport runs as a steady pillar rather than a single flagship. Netball and multiple year-group football sessions are timetabled, and facilities referenced include a Sports Hall, Gym, and a 3G pitch.

The implication for families is practical. If your child needs an easy route into clubs without high selection barriers, the menu is broad and includes options that suit different confidence levels. If your child is highly sport-focused, it is sensible to ask about competitive fixtures and pathways, because the timetable indicates participation but not performance tiers.

The school publishes clear timings for both phases. Primary starts at 8.40am with a 2.50pm finish. Secondary starts at 8.30am with a 2.35pm finish. Nursery sessions are listed as 8.30am to 11.30am (morning) and 12.15pm to 3.15pm (afternoon), with the option to attend full time.

For travel, the school references entrances and drop-off practicalities, including a note that the rear entrance from Stonehills Lane is closed. Local public transport information in Halton shows bus routes running via Latham Avenue, which is useful for older pupils commuting independently. Runcorn station and Runcorn East station are the main rail points serving the town.

• GCSE progress measures are a concern. The most recent results shows a Progress 8 score of -0.84 and an Attainment 8 score of 33.5. If your child is academically capable but needs high stretch and pace, ask how subject intervention and option choices are targeted.

• External entry at Year 7 is constrained. Pupils in Year 6 at the school automatically transfer into Year 7, so external applicants are typically competing for remaining places.

• The all-through model can feel like a one-way track. Nursery enrolment is linked to automatic progression into primary, but that progression can be affected by application choices and timing. Families joining nursery later in the cycle should be cautious about assumptions and confirm their position early.

• Wraparound care is not clearly published. If you need guaranteed early drop-off or late collection, treat this as an essential question to resolve before committing.

This is a large, all-through state school built around consistency, clear routines, and a deliberate emphasis on reading and behaviour for learning. The primary data includes strong combined expected standard outcomes in 2024, while GCSE performance measures in the same broad period are weaker and need careful interpretation.

Who it suits: families who value continuity from early years onwards, want a structured school day, and prefer a clearly defined set of expectations that apply across phases. The key decision point is whether the secondary phase offers the academic trajectory and intervention your child will need through Key Stage 4.