Great Budworth CofE Primary School, Northwich

Ofsted's report card from its 19 May 2026 inspection grades Great Budworth CofE Primary School on 7 areas: 2 needs attention and 5 urgent improvement. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Attendance has improved recently following focused action and clarity from leaders."

Personal development and wellbeing - Needs attention. "Leaders provide pupils with a broad personal development programme and have mapped coverage across important areas, such as relationships, safety, inclusion and wider enrichment."

Achievement - Urgent improvement. "Many pupils do not secure the learning that they need with sufficient precision."

Curriculum and teaching - Urgent improvement. "Pupils access the full range of national curriculum subjects."

Early years - Urgent improvement. "Leadership in the early years lacks precision and oversight."

Inclusion - Urgent improvement. "Leaders do not identify, assess or meet pupils' needs with sufficient precision."

Leadership and governance - Urgent improvement. "Recent changes in leadership have brought greater clarity and led to some positive action in a short period, by drawing on support from the federation school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Governors must ensure that they fulfil their statutory responsibilities, including those related to the early years, and develop the knowledge and skills to hold leaders to account effectively"; "Governors must ensure that they develop leadership capacity so that all leaders have the knowledge, skills and support that they need to make the necessary improvements swiftly and effectively"; "Leaders and governors must ensure that monitoring and evaluation focus sharply on impact and lead to sustained improvement"; "Leaders must ensure that the needs of disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are identified swiftly and accurately and that staff receive the guidance they need to support these pupils effectively, including through carefully selected and appropriate adaptations for pupils"; "Leaders must ensure that the curriculum content, including in the early years, is set out sequentially and in its entirety and that staff develop the knowledge and expertise to deliver it effectively, including the appropriate use of assessment information to address misconceptions in pupils' learning promptly"; "Leaders must ensure that pupils, including children in the early years, secure essential knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics so they can achieve well across the curriculum and be prepared for the next stage of their education"; "Leaders should continue to improve pupils' attendance and reduce the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent"; "Leaders should ensure that they review the impact of the programme for personal development on pupils' knowledge and understanding and make refinements where appropriate".

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at Great Budworth CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 50% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 74% in Cheshire West and Chester and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 90% in reading and 60% in maths in 2024.

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

For September 2026 entry, 6 families put Great Budworth CofE Primary School as their first choice and 22 named it as one of their preferences, for 7 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 Great Budworth CofE Primary School are Great Budworth CofE Primary School (under 0.1 miles); Comberbach Nursery and Primary School (1.3 miles, 91% reading, 87% maths); Wincham Community Primary School (1.5 miles, Good, 80% reading, 80% maths); and Antrobus St Mark's CofE Primary School (1.9 miles, Good, 100% reading, 100% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Great Budworth CofE Primary School.

2.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (84%) and Mixed (8%).

In 2026, 4 pupils (10.8%) received SEN support and 1 (2.7%) 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.

Great Budworth CofE Primary School had 3 teachers in 2026, one for every 10 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Northwich Rail Station, about 2.3 miles away in a straight line.

2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is George & Dragon (outside), 120 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cheshire West and Chester (71).

Great Budworth CofE Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.