Daven Primary School, Congleton

Ofsted's report card from its 6 May 2026 inspection grades Daven Primary School on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils achieve well."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders expect pupils to attend school regularly."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of pupils in mixed-age classes."

Early years - Expected standard. "Following a recent expansion, the early years now caters for 2-, 3- and 4-year-old children."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders' commitment to inclusion ensures that pupils with different needs and starting points are well looked after and thrive during their time at school."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Trust leaders, members of the local governing body (LGB) and school leaders have a thorough understanding of pupils' contexts and circumstances."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have established a comprehensive programme that supports pupils' personal development."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should further develop the teaching of foundational knowledge in mathematics so that pupils have greater fluency when using basic number skills to solve more complex problems"; "Leaders should strengthen teachers' subject expertise so that opportunities for pupils to deepen their understanding and attain the higher standards are consistently embedded across all areas of the curriculum"; "Leaders should build on the successful strategies to promote regular attendance so that rates of persistent absence reduce further and pupils attend school as often as they should".

From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Daven Primary School. Our inclusive school highly values each member of our school community and is built on mutual respect. We are proud of our values of 'Brave, Kind and Curious' which provide the foundations for our curriculum and day-to-day life."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include choir, gardening, eco club, art and forest school.

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care until 5:45pm.

In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at Daven Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 78% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 80% and 78% in Cheshire East and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (76% in reading, 86% in maths).

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 8 families put Daven Primary School as their first choice and 18 named it as one of their preferences, for 10 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 Daven Primary School are Marlfields Primary School (0.5 miles, Requires improvement, 76% reading, 41% maths); Saint Mary's Catholic Primary School (0.6 miles, Requires improvement, 87% reading, 73% maths); Buglawton Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 83% reading, 73% maths); and Mossley CofE Primary School (1 mile, Good, 84% reading, 79% maths).

Daven Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Daven Primary School is one of 15 schools run by The Learning Partnership Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 71% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

54% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 24 pupils (17.5%) received SEN support and 15 (10.9%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

Daven Primary School had 9 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Congleton Rail Station, about 900 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Townsend Road (cnr), 180 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 132 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cheshire East (61), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Daven Primary School issued 40 suspensions, 28.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Daven Primary School are Eaton Bank Academy (1 mile) and Congleton High School (1.8 miles).