Disley Primary School Review 2026: A top-tier primary where “Proud to Belong” is more than a slogan

Resilience, Respect, Responsibility, Reciprocity and Reflectiveness sit at the heart of this village primary’s identity, and they link closely to its motto, Proud to Belong. The academic picture is strikingly strong for a state primary, with outcomes placing it among the highest-performing schools in England (top 2%) and first locally in Stockport, based on FindMySchool’s proprietary rankings drawn from official data. The July 2024 Ofsted inspection concluded the school continues to be a good school and confirmed safeguarding as effective.

Families considering Reception entry should expect competition. In the most recent admissions snapshot provided, 50 applications resulted in 43 offers, which is just over one application per place, and the school is recorded as oversubscribed.

The school’s tone is shaped by two linked ideas. First, it frames belonging as an active, shared responsibility, not a passive feeling. Second, it uses the language of character strengths as everyday expectations. The motto Proud to Belong and the published vision and mission are plain-spoken, child-friendly, and closely aligned to how staff describe day-to-day routines and relationships.

External evidence points to a culture where pupils feel secure and known. The most recent inspection describes pupils as happy, kind, welcoming to newcomers, and proud of their school. It also emphasises that pupils take responsibility for their environment, including helping to keep the grounds tidy. That matters for parents because atmosphere in a primary is not just “nice to have”, it is often the difference between a child who participates confidently and a child who stays on the edges.

There is also a clear thread of widening pupils’ horizons without rushing them into secondary-style intensity. Examples given in formal reporting include learning about global issues such as plastic pollution and studying locality alongside contrasting lives elsewhere. For many families, this kind of curriculum breadth signals a school that treats primary as a formative stage in its own right, rather than a narrow run-up to tests.

Leadership is clearly identified and visible in the school’s public information. The headteacher is Mr Jake Nicklin, who is also named as Designated Safeguarding Lead in the published safeguarding information. Strong primaries often succeed because systems are consistent across classrooms. Here, the staffing structure shown publicly includes phase leadership, a deputy headteacher with class responsibility, and a named SENDCo, which supports continuity when pupils move between year groups.

The headline figure parents tend to understand fastest is the combined expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2. In the most recent dataset provided, 94.67% of pupils met the expected standard across reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 62%.

Depth, not just threshold performance, is the second signal. At the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, 33.33% achieved this benchmark, compared with an England average of 8%. Science outcomes are also strong, with 93% meeting the expected standard, above the England average of 82%.

Scaled scores reinforce this picture. Reading is 110, mathematics is 111, and grammar, punctuation and spelling is 111. While scaled scores are not “percentages”, they give a sense of consistency across core areas, which many parents interpret as a sign that strength is not confined to one subject or one cohort.

For families comparing schools, rankings help translate these outcomes into context. Disley Primary School is ranked 261st in England for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), and 1st locally in Stockport, placing it among the highest-performing schools in England (top 2%). This ranking is a proprietary FindMySchool measure based on official data.

If you are weighing options nearby, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool are useful for viewing these outcomes side by side with other primaries in your area, using the same methodology, rather than trying to reconcile different headline metrics across multiple sites.

A strong results profile is most reassuring when it is paired with a clear explanation of how learning is built. In the latest formal reporting, the curriculum is described as carefully sequenced from early years through to Year 6, with content ordered to support progressive knowledge-building.

The most useful detail for parents is not the claim that a curriculum is “well planned”, but what that means in practice. Here, the evidence suggests teachers routinely check what pupils have learned, identify misconceptions quickly, and address them before gaps become embedded. The implication is that pupils who miss a concept do not simply get carried along; misunderstandings are caught and corrected early, which is often why cohorts remain consistently strong.

Reading appears to be treated as a whole-school priority. The formal report references early reading support in Reception, swift identification of pupils who struggle, and the use of reading ambassadors plus a book swap café event to keep reading social and visible. For families, this usually translates into two practical outcomes, confident decoding early on for most pupils, and a culture where children see reading as something they do because they want to, not only because it is assigned.

No school is without improvement points, and the most recent inspection is specific about one area to tighten. Expectations around the presentation and accuracy of written work are not always consistently high, with spelling of learned words and letter formation cited as occasional weaknesses. The positive interpretation is that the gap is highly actionable and does not undermine the wider curriculum strengths. The challenge for parents is whether their child is likely to benefit from a sharper push on handwriting and accuracy, or feel pressured by it.

Primary families often care about two things at transition, the practical mechanics of moving on, and whether children leave with the confidence and learning habits to settle quickly in Year 7.

The school’s published information emphasises links that support smooth transition into Year 7, and this is echoed in its wider inclusion documentation around planning and information-sharing where needed. For pupils with SEND, the school’s published policy focus includes successful transition to secondary education, which generally implies structured handover and coordinated planning with families and receiving settings.

Locally, a clearly evidenced option is Poynton High School, which states it serves Poynton, Disley, Adlington and the surrounding area. Families should still check how secondary allocations work for their home address and year of entry, because secondary criteria and catchment mapping can shift over time.

A final point that matters in 2026 is the wider national pattern of children finding the move to secondary harder than expected. It is sensible for parents to prioritise transition support, routines, and confidence-building alongside academic readiness, particularly if a child is prone to anxiety.

Reception entry is competitive based on the demand snapshot available. With 50 applications for 43 offers, the school is recorded as oversubscribed, which means criteria matter, not just preference order.

The school is an academy and publishes an admissions policy for 2026 to 2027. Within that policy, the published admission number (PAN) is 45. Oversubscription criteria prioritise, in order, children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, looked-after and previously looked-after children, siblings, children living in the designated catchment area, then distance (measured as a straight-line method).

For Cheshire East families applying for a Reception place for September 2026, the local authority timetable sets out the key dates. Applications opened 01 September 2025, the closing date was 15 January 2026, offers are made 16 April 2026, and the deadline to accept or refuse is 30 April 2026. These dates are particularly important for families moving house, because evidence deadlines often sit after the main application deadline.

If you are using catchment and distance as part of your strategy, FindMySchoolMap Search can help you check the practical implications of your address relative to the school, then you can cross-reference that with the oversubscription criteria and any published allocation notes from the local authority for your intake year.

The pastoral offer is easiest to judge where responsibilities are explicit and systems are public. Safeguarding leadership is clearly signposted, with the headteacher named as Designated Safeguarding Lead and the deputy headteacher named as Deputy Safeguarding Lead. For parents, this clarity matters because it reduces friction when concerns need to be raised quickly.

Inclusion is also clearly structured, with a named SENDCo in the published staff list. The most recent inspection highlights effective identification and support for pupils with SEND, including staff skill in adapting curriculum delivery, leading to strong progress for many pupils with additional needs.

Attendance and routines are treated as part of wellbeing, not separate from it. The inspection evidence describes pupils enjoying school and attending regularly, alongside swift support where families struggle with attendance. Strong attendance systems tend to benefit pupils who might otherwise drift, particularly around the Year 2 and Year 5 points where curriculum expectations step up.

A primary’s enrichment programme is most meaningful when it is specific and predictable rather than a generic list. Disley Primary School publishes a detailed clubs programme, including year groups, staff leads, and seasonal timing. School-led clubs listed for 2025 to 2026 include Running, Football, Gymnastics, Netball, Dance Club, Recorders, Art Club, Book Club, Choir, and Yoga.

The evidence also points to a wider menu beyond the in-house list. The school clubs page references a multi-sports club running after school on multiple weekdays, and a French club run externally, alongside school-led options. From a parent perspective, this breadth can make logistics easier, especially for working families trying to reduce the number of separate after-school commitments.

Residential visits are another notable strand of enrichment cited in the most recent inspection, with an emphasis on teamwork and resilience. These experiences often matter most for pupils who are quieter in class but grow noticeably when given responsibility in a new setting.

Pupil leadership is also given a defined structure. The inspection evidence references roles such as school parliament, and an enterprise week for older pupils focusing on designing products and learning about costs and profits. The implication is that personal development is treated as a curriculum outcome rather than an occasional assembly theme.

The school day is clearly set out. Doors open from 8:50 am to 9:00 am across phases, with slightly different collection windows, and the day ends at 3:15 pm to 3:25 pm depending on year group. Break and lunch structures are also published, which helps families planning packed lunches, clubs, and appointments.

Wraparound care is available through Club DP, which has operated since September 2018 and is open to pupils who attend the school. The school also describes participation in a government breakfast club early adopter scheme from summer term 2025, with 30 minutes of childcare alongside breakfast, aimed at universal access for pupils from Reception to Year 6.

For travel, Disley is a rail-served village on the Manchester to Buxton line, and the A6 runs through the area, which can help families commuting to Stockport or further afield.

• Competition for places. The school is recorded as oversubscribed, with 50 applications for 43 offers in the most recent admissions snapshot provided. This can make Reception planning stressful if you are relying on a single preference.

• Writing presentation standards are an improvement focus. The most recent inspection highlights that expectations for spelling of learned words and letter formation are not always consistently high, and this is the defined area to tighten. For some pupils, a stronger push here is helpful; for others, it may need careful handling to avoid perfectionism.

• Academy admissions are criteria-led. The published admissions policy sets a clear PAN (45) and oversubscription criteria including catchment and distance. Families moving house should be methodical about evidence deadlines and how residence is verified.

• A lot is on offer after school. Clubs and wraparound care can be a real advantage, but children who need quiet downtime may need a lighter schedule, especially in Year 1 and Year 2 when fatigue can show quickly.

Disley Primary School combines a calm, values-led ethos with outcomes that place it among the highest-performing primaries in England. The culture signals warmth and high expectations in equal measure, with structured support for reading, clear leadership, and a genuinely busy programme of clubs and enrichment.

Who it suits: families who want a state primary with very strong academic outcomes, clear routines, and plenty of opportunities beyond the classroom, and who are prepared to engage carefully with admissions criteria in an oversubscribed setting.