Delamere CofE Primary Academy Review 2026: High-performing village primary with a faith-centred ethos

Small primaries can be hard to judge from a distance, but Delamere CofE Primary Academy is unusually transparent about what it values and how it runs. The core reference point is its Church of England identity, with school life framed around Respect, Care, Peace and Love, and a stated Christian vision shaped by Jeremiah 29:11.

On the numbers, the school sits among the highest-performing primaries in England. In 2024, 96% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the England average of 62%. A large share also reached the higher standard, which matters for families whose child is academically confident.

This is a one-form entry school with a Published Admission Number of 26 for Reception (2026 to 2027). Demand is strong, with 82 Reception applications for 26 offers in the latest admissions data provided here. That gap shapes the experience for prospective families: the education may be compelling, but admission is the constraint.

This is a Church of England primary where faith is part of the operating model rather than a light touch. The school communicates its Christian vision directly, and links to the local parish are described as close, including regular involvement from St Peter’s Church in Delamere.

Values language is not treated as decoration. Respect, Care, Peace and Love are consistently used as behavioural and pastoral reference points, and the wider message is that relationships and learning are expected to reinforce each other.

Leadership is long-standing, which often correlates with consistency of systems in smaller schools. Julie Clayton is identified as headteacher in the most recent inspection documentation, and the school’s governance information records her as head teacher from 2010.

The school is part of North West Academies Trust, and has been an academy since February 2012. For parents, that matters mainly in the “how decisions get made” sense. Trust support and local governance both feature, and the inspection documentation also references formal oversight structures within the trust.

The results profile is exceptional on the available primary measures.

• In 2024, 96% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the England average of 62%.

• At the higher standard, 60% reached greater depth in reading, writing and maths, compared with the England average of 8%.

• Average scaled scores were 111 in reading, 111 in maths, and 113 in grammar, punctuation and spelling (combined total score 335).

Rankings reinforce the picture. Ranked 86th in England and 1st in Tarporley for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits among the highest-performing in England (top 2%).

For families comparing options locally, the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool can be helpful for viewing these outcomes side by side with nearby primaries that serve similar communities.

The most convincing narrative here is the link between ambition and sequencing. The curriculum is described in formal evaluation as carefully structured so that pupils build knowledge step by step from Reception through Year 6, with staff using checks on what pupils know and remember to time new learning appropriately.

Early reading appears to be treated as a non-negotiable. The phonics approach is described as consistently delivered, with reading books matched to the sounds pupils know, and rapid support for pupils who fall behind. The implication for parents is practical: strong systems in early reading reduce the likelihood that gaps become entrenched by Key Stage 2.

Subject leadership also looks purposeful. Staff profiles describe explicit responsibilities for phonics and early reading, maths leadership, and SENDCo duties within the senior team, which supports a model where curriculum and inclusion are managed as core work rather than add-ons.

As a state primary, the formal destination is Year 7 at a secondary school, with applications handled through the local authority process in Year 6. What stands out is that Delamere appears to take secondary transition seriously and makes use of real links rather than generic “moving on” activities.

School communications and class updates show pupils spending time at Tarporley High School, including visits to science facilities and a transition residential referenced for some Year 6 pupils. Even if a family ultimately chooses a different secondary, exposure to the scale and routines of a larger school can make the move less daunting for children.

For parents, the key planning point is timing. Secondary applications are a Year 6 issue, but Reception admissions are the urgent one for new starters. If you are considering Delamere, it is sensible to plan early and treat it as competitive.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Entry is shaped by published admission arrangements and, in practice, by demand.

Reception places and competition

Reception has a Published Admission Number of 26 for the 2026 to 2027 academic year. Demand is strong, with the current admissions figures showing 82 applications for 26 offers, which is about 3.15 applications per place.

How offers are decided

In the normal admissions round, Cheshire West and Chester operates the co-ordinated scheme, and parents apply via the local authority application route. If the school is oversubscribed, the published criteria prioritise, in order: pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, looked-after and previously looked-after children, siblings, children of staff (with defined conditions), then distance from the school using a straight-line measurement method.

Key dates for September 2026 Reception entry

For Cheshire West and Chester, the application process opens on 1 September 2025 and the on-time closing date is 15 January 2026. National offer day for primary places is 16 April 2026.

The school website has also published admissions arrangements for 2026 to 2027, including an admissions timeline, which broadly aligns with the local authority calendar.

Because demand can shift year to year, families should use the FindMySchool Map Search to understand how their home location may interact with distance-based criteria when the school is oversubscribed.

A faith-centred school still needs modern safeguarding and wellbeing systems, and the published materials suggest these are treated seriously.

Safeguarding is described as effective in the latest statutory inspection documentation. The admissions arrangements also emphasise staff safeguarding training and online safety education, including Prevent training.

There are also signs of structured wellbeing support beyond the basics. Staff profiles describe an external counselling professional available weekly for pupils, including drop-in access during breaks, which is a meaningful resource in a small primary where children may prefer a neutral adult for some worries.

A small school’s enrichment offer is often limited by staffing and scale, so the most useful question is not “how many clubs”, but “are there distinctive, repeatable opportunities that children actually access”.

The latest inspection documentation points to a broad menu that includes debating, sewing, choir and chess, plus a strong sport offer that includes weekly swimming, triathlon competitions and cross-country fixtures. This is not just recreational. Swimming as a weekly entitlement, for example, signals a curriculum decision about life skills and confidence in the water, not merely sport.

Outdoor learning also appears to be used as a vehicle for curriculum depth. Inspection commentary references local hikes to build map reading and orientation skills, linking enrichment directly to geography and broader curriculum aims.

There is also evidence of cultural enrichment through visiting authors and workshops, such as a Richard O’Neill storytelling visit referenced in the school’s news content. For primary-aged pupils, encounters like this can be a practical lever for writing motivation, vocabulary, and confidence in speaking.

The school day is published as opening at 8.35am, with registration at 9.00am, and finishing at 3.15pm. Wraparound care is also described, with provision stated as running from 7.45am to 6.00pm. Separate school information also refers to a breakfast club starting at 7.30am. Families should confirm the exact timings and booking expectations directly with the school, as wraparound structures can change by staffing and demand.

Given the rural Cheshire context, many families will plan around car journeys, and it is sensible to ask about drop-off and pick-up routines early, particularly if you will also rely on wraparound care.

• Oversubscription is the practical barrier. With 82 Reception applications for 26 offers in the latest data, demand is high relative to places. If you are relocating, do not assume proximity will be sufficient without checking how allocations have worked in recent years.

• Faith is a genuine part of daily life. The Church of England character is embedded through values, worship links, and the school’s stated Christian vision. Families who want a clearly faith-shaped environment are likely to see this as a positive; those preferring a more neutral setting should weigh fit carefully.

• One-form entry can feel intimate. Small cohorts often mean strong relationships and consistent expectations, but it also means fewer parallel classes, so friendship dynamics can carry more weight.

• Wraparound care exists, but check the detail. Times are published, but availability, pricing and how sessions run can change. This matters if wraparound is essential rather than a convenience.

Delamere CofE Primary Academy combines a clear faith-centred identity with an academic profile that places it among the strongest primaries in England on the available measures. The most persuasive features are consistency of leadership, a strongly sequenced curriculum, and enrichment that is tied to learning rather than treated as an add-on.

Best suited to families who actively want a Church of England ethos and who can engage early with a competitive admissions process. Entry remains the limiting factor; for families who secure a place, the educational offer looks unusually strong for a small village primary.