Eaton Bank Academy, Congleton

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, tennis, badminton, dance, drama, ukulele, guitar and chess.

In 2026, pupils at Eaton Bank Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.1 in Cheshire East and 47 across England.

40% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Cheshire East and 47% in England.

That is up from 46.9 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.13: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 36.9, against 50.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Business Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 186 families put Eaton Bank Academy as their first choice and 264 named it as one of their preferences, for 187 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Eaton Bank Academy are Congleton High School (2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.5); Woodhouse Academy (3.8 miles, Good); and James Bateman Middle School (4.7 miles, Good).

Eaton Bank Academy is one of 12 schools run by Halliard Trust, an academy trust.

169 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Eaton Bank Academy (as of September 2025): 76% would recommend the school, 79% say their child is happy there and 54% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (81%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (54%).

Of the 168 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 86% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 52% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 68 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 53% went on to university or other higher education, 12% to apprenticeships and 24% into work. 22% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

3.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 63 pupils (5.9%) received SEN support and 57 (5.4%) 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 autism.

The nearest railway station is Congleton Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Eaton Bank School (outside), 80 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Eaton Bank Academy stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 127 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cheshire East (61), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Eaton Bank Academy issued 143 suspensions, 13.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Eaton Bank Academy are Havannah Primary School (0.3 miles), Buglawton Primary School (0.5 miles), Saint Mary's Catholic Primary School (0.9 miles) and Daven Primary School (1 mile). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.