Cranberry Academy, Alsager

Ofsted's report card from its 2 June 2026 inspection grades Cranberry Academy on 7 areas: 1 strong standard and 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Personal development and wellbeing is a significant strength of the school."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Most pupils are prepared well for the next stage of their education."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders keep a close eye on attendance and take effective action to improve it when necessary."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have made sure that the curriculum in each subject is ambitious and sequenced to build on what pupils have learned before."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders have clear oversight of early years."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders make sure that staff identify pupils' needs quickly."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders, including those responsible for governance, know the school's strengths and identify the right priorities for improvement."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that pupils at the early stages of reading and writing, including some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and some pupils who are disadvantaged, receive the precise teaching and sufficient practise time that they need to become fluent and accurate readers and writers"; "In a small number of subjects, leaders should ensure that staff match teaching consistently to the needs of pupils, ensuring that checks on learning are used to correct errors so that pupils' learning builds securely on what they already know"; "Leaders should continue to develop all areas of the early years provision to ensure that disadvantaged pupils achieve well so that they are better prepared for Year 1"; "Those responsible for governance, including the trust, should strengthen their quality assurance in specific aspects of the school's development work so that their oversight, support and challenge are consistently robust across all areas".

In its own words: "Cranberry Academy is a happy, friendly and safe place where children develop a yearning for learning. We believe that education is preparation for life and we nurture our children to be confident, independent and empathetic learners. At Cranberry, we seek to prepare each child to face life beyond the school with confidence."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Come with us and discover a day in Reception at Cranberry Academy, where learning begins with smiles, curiosity and confidence. In this video, you’ll see how our children learn through play, creativity and exploration - from phonics and early reading to writing, problem-solving, outdoor learning and music."

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at Cranberry Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 72% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 80% and 78% in Cheshire East and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 78% in reading and 78% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 47 families put Cranberry Academy as their first choice and 90 named it as one of their preferences, for 52 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Cranberry Academy are St Gabriel's Catholic Primary School (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 80% reading, 80% maths); Pikemere School (0.7 miles, Good, 84% reading, 87% maths); Alsager Highfields Community Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 83% reading, 79% maths); and Excalibur Primary School (1.3 miles, Good, 84% reading, 91% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Cranberry Academy.

Cranberry Academy is one of 23 schools run by St Bart's Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.

10.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (86%) and Mixed (7%).

In 2026, 63 pupils (14.5%) received SEN support and 8 (1.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Alsager Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.

16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cranberry Junior & Infant (outside), 30 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 38 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cheshire East (61).

In 2024/25, Cranberry Academy issued 8 suspensions, 1.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.