Appleton Thorn Primary School, Warrington
Appleton Thorn Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Warrington, part of The Challenge Academy Trust. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 25th-highest of the 69 schools in Warrington with published results, and 2,629th of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Warrington (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Appleton Thorn Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at Appleton Thorn Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 84% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 83% and 80% in Warrington and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (88% in reading, 81% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Appleton Thorn Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 32 families put Appleton Thorn Primary School as their first choice and 102 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 7 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Appleton Thorn Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Appleton Thorn Primary School are Grappenhall Heys Community Primary School (1.1 miles, Outstanding, 94% reading, 94% maths); Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School (1.3 miles, 93% reading, 87% maths); Broomfields Junior School (1.5 miles, Good, 79% reading, 73% maths); and Grappenhall St Wilfrid's CofE Primary School (1.7 miles, Good, 85% reading, 87% maths).
Appleton Thorn Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Grappenhall Heys Community Primary SchoolStretton St Matthew's CofE Primary SchoolBroomfields Junior SchoolGrappenhall St Wilfrid's CofE Primary School
The trust
Appleton Thorn Primary School is one of 14 schools run by The Challenge Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
57 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Appleton Thorn Primary School (as of September 2025): 90% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 40% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (40%).
Who goes there
12.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Warrington Bank Quay Rail Station, about 3.6 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Appleton Hall (outside), 350 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Appleton Thorn Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 5th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Appleton Thorn Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Appleton Thorn Primary School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in April 2023. Before that, as Appleton Thorn Primary School (URN 111138), it was rated Outstanding in November 2010.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school excels at creating a nurturing environment where every child thrives. Teachers have high expectations and provide excellent support for all pupils, with particularly skilled help for those who find learning difficult. Pupils enjoy a wealth of enrichment activities including trips, sports, coding and community involvement that help them develop confidence and discover their talents.
Key Strengths
- Exemplary behaviour and outstanding personal development throughout the school - pupils are calm, focused and considerate
- Excellent teaching of reading with strong phonics expertise and skilled support for struggling readers
- Well-designed ambitious curriculum with high-quality staff training
- Exceptional enrichment activities including residential trips, outdoor learning and a wide range of clubs
- Quick identification and effective support for pupils with SEND
Areas for Improvement
- In a few subjects, teaching does not always follow the intended curriculum progression, hindering some pupils' knowledge building
- Limited practice opportunities for retrieving prior learning in some subjects, meaning pupils struggle to remember what has been taught
- Need to strengthen systems for checking what pupils can confidently recall over time in certain subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong culture and processes in place.
Extracurricular Activities
Cricket, rugby, coding clubs, outdoor learning activities, residential trips including overseas, school council, library roles, charity fundraising events, tournaments and competitions
Appleton Thorn Primary School is a welcoming village school where pupils are excited to learn and behave exceptionally well. The school has designed an ambitious curriculum and provides excellent support for all pupils, including those with additional needs.
At a Glance
12.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
57 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 90% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 84% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 62% to 77% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.3
Avg class size
29.7
Infant (KS1)
27.3
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Appleton Thorn Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Appleton Thorn Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Appleton Thorn Primary School is in Warrington; for families living there:
Apply to Warrington for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 5
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Warrington is 11 (the median across 96 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Appleton Thorn Primary School
Will you get a place at Appleton Thorn Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Appleton Thorn Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Appleton Thorn Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Appleton Thorn Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Warrington, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Appleton Thorn Primary School for 2024 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Warrington got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
97%
Near capacity
203 pupils
210 places
7 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Warrington
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Warrington
Across Warrington council
Places available
2,365
Applications
2,024
Got 1st preference
91.9%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across Warrington council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
25
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
17.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
198
Total Pupils
98
Boys
100
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
19.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,112
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,067
Per pupil
£1131k
Total funding
£24k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.0%
Overall absence
5.7%
Persistent absence
176
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Appleton Thorn Primary School
Questions parents ask about Appleton Thorn Primary School
What are SATs results like at Appleton Thorn Primary School?
Of the pupils at Appleton Thorn Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 90% reached the expected standard in reading and 84% did so in maths.
What is Appleton Thorn Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Appleton Thorn Primary School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in April 2023. Before that, as Appleton Thorn Primary School (URN 111138), it was rated Outstanding in November 2010.
What is the catchment area for Appleton Thorn Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Appleton Thorn Primary School is oversubscribed, Warrington allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Appleton Thorn Primary School?
Appleton Thorn Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Appleton Thorn Primary School?
Classes at Appleton Thorn Primary School average 28.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Appleton Thorn Primary School?
Appleton Thorn Primary School has around 198 pupils on roll. 13% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Appleton Thorn Primary School?
3% of sessions were missed at Appleton Thorn Primary School in 2024/25. 5.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Appleton Thorn Primary School?
Apply through Warrington's coordinated admissions process, naming Appleton Thorn Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Appleton Thorn Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Warrington is 11 (the median across 96 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Appleton Thorn Primary School?
Appleton Thorn Primary School is at Arley Road, Appleton Thorn, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 4RW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)