Best Schools in Macclesfield

How many schools are there in Macclesfield?

Macclesfield has 38 open schools: 29 state primary, 5 state secondary or all-through, 2 independent and 2 special.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Macclesfield are rated Outstanding?

7 schools in Macclesfield were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Ash Grove Academy; The Fermain Academy; Rainow Primary School; All Hallows Catholic College; St Alban's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy; and 2 more. Counting Good as well, 100% of the 32 graded schools here are rated Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

Ash Grove AcademyThe Fermain AcademyRainow Primary SchoolAll Hallows Catholic CollegeSt Alban's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Macclesfield get the best GCSE results?

Of the 4 schools in Macclesfield with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at The Fallibroome Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 51.7 and 56% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; All Hallows Catholic College, with an Attainment 8 score of 50.7 and 53% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Tytherington School, with an Attainment 8 score of 50.7 and 54% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

The Fallibroome AcademyAll Hallows Catholic CollegeTytherington School

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Macclesfield have the best SATs results?

Of the 27 primary schools in Macclesfield with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Nether Alderley Primary School (100% in reading, 92% in maths); Wincle CofE Primary School (100% in reading, 91% in maths); and Rainow Primary School (96% in reading, 88% in maths). Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

Nether Alderley Primary SchoolWincle CofE Primary SchoolRainow Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Macclesfield?

No. None of the state secondary schools in Macclesfield selects pupils by ability, so every state secondary here is comprehensive.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Macclesfield have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Macclesfield have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, the council allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then home-to-school distance - so the practical cut-off moves each year. Each school's page here shows an estimate of its catchment radius.

How do I apply for a school place in Macclesfield?

Apply to your council - Cheshire East or Staffordshire, depending on your address - through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts. Independent schools run their own admissions, so apply to those directly.