Gawsworth Primary School, Macclesfield

Ofsted's report card from its 13 January 2026 inspection grades Gawsworth Primary School on 7 areas: 4 strong standard and 3 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have set out ambitious and well-ordered curriculums across the school, enabling pupils to build knowledge securely over time."

Early years - Strong standard. "Leaders and staff have consistently high expectations for children in the early years."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Inclusion is a strength of this school."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Gawsworth Primary is firmly rooted in its community, with leaders, parents and carers, staff and pupils fully invested in its success."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils achieve well across all subjects of the curriculum."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Overall attendance is in line with, or above, national figures."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "This school offers a wealth of wider opportunities to enrich the curriculum and broaden pupils' horizons."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that the essential knowledge in writing is taught with greater consistency, enabling pupils to develop the underlying foundational skills needed to produce and present independent work across all subjects, so they are better prepared for the next stage of their education. • Leaders should continue to implement the effective strategies in place to reduce persistent absence among disadvantaged pupils, ensuring that rates align with the national average".

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, cricket, athletics, swimming, dance, choir, coding and cooking.

The school runs after-school care.

In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils at Gawsworth Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 83% 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 82% in reading and 89% in maths in 2024.

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

For September 2026 entry, 30 families put Gawsworth Primary School as their first choice and 77 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. 4 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Gawsworth Primary School are Ivy Bank Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 77% reading, 60% maths); Ash Grove Academy (1.7 miles, Outstanding, 71% reading, 71% maths); Broken Cross Primary Academy and Nursery (1.8 miles, Good, 76% reading, 69% maths); and St John the Evangelist CofE Primary School Macclesfield (1.8 miles, Good, 76% reading, 73% maths).

Gawsworth Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Gawsworth Primary School is one of 12 schools run by Halliard Trust, an academy trust.

97 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Gawsworth Primary School (as of April 2026): 98% would recommend the school, 99% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (99%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).

4.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 16 pupils (8.1%) received SEN support and 13 (6.6%) 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 Macclesfield Rail Station, about 2.7 miles away in a straight line.

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Primary School (opposite), 40 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cheshire East (61).

Gawsworth Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.