Great Sankey Primary School, Warrington
Great Sankey Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Warrington, part of The Challenge Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2013. That was 13 years ago, so the rating may not reflect the school today. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 27th-highest of the 69 schools in Warrington with published results, and 3,012th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 75 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Warrington (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
Great Sankey Primary School in detail
Great Sankey Primary School in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, rugby, cricket, athletics, cross-country, dance, drama, choir, chess and Lego.
The school runs after-school care.
Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils at Great Sankey Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 85% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 83% and 80% in Warrington and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (83% in reading, 88% in maths).
Getting a place at Great Sankey Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 40 families put Great Sankey Primary School as their first choice and 128 named it as one of their preferences, for 45 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Great Sankey Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Great Sankey Primary School are St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 94% reading, 90% maths); Chapelford Village Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 86% reading, 86% maths); Sankey Valley St James Church of England Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 86% reading, 96% maths); and Park Road Community Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 91% reading, 81% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Great Sankey Primary School.
St Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolChapelford Village Primary SchoolSankey Valley St James Church of England Primary SchoolPark Road Community Primary School
The trust
Great Sankey Primary School is one of 14 schools run by The Challenge Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
78 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Great Sankey Primary School (as of September 2026): 95% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (91%).
Who goes there
10.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 9.1% 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 Chinese (6%).
In 2026, 22 pupils (6.3%) received SEN support and 4 (1.1%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sankey for Penketh Rail Station, about 570 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sankey School (outside), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Great Sankey Primary School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Great Sankey Primary School issued 5 suspensions, 1.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Great Sankey Primary School are Penketh High School (0.1 miles), St Gregory's Catholic High School (1 mile) and Great Sankey High School (1 mile).
Penketh High SchoolSt Gregory's Catholic High SchoolGreat Sankey High School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Great Sankey Primary School excels at ensuring every pupil feels valued and thrives in a calm, nurturing environment. Teachers skilfully match lessons to individual needs, with particularly strong support for pupils with additional needs and disadvantaged learners. The school has created a respectful culture where high behaviour expectations, strong pastoral care, and creative attendance strategies mean pupils love coming to school.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve very well in national tests and are consistently well prepared for their next stage of education
- Strong focus on removing barriers to learning and supporting disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs
- High attendance rates supported by innovative approaches and strong pastoral care
- Excellent behaviour and a calm, respectful school culture with clear routines that support learning
- High-quality curriculum with strong phonics teaching and language-rich learning experiences
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
keyboard, quidditch, choir, cross country
Great Sankey Primary School is a high-performing school where pupils do very well in national tests and across the wider curriculum. Leaders are relentless in supporting all pupils, particularly those with special educational needs, those known to social care, and disadvantaged pupils.
At a Glance
10.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
78 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 83% to 87% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 85% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 83% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.3
Avg class size
26.8
Infant (KS1)
30.0
KS2
12
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Great Sankey Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Great Sankey Primary School.
- Kool Kids out of School Ltd910m away · Not yet graded
Nurseries
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to Great Sankey Primary School, with their latest published grades:
- Kids Planet Great Sankey - Day nursery, under 0.1 milesOfsted, 15 February 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Let's Be Kids (Chapelford) - Day nursery, 0.6 miles
- Chapelford Village Nursery And Lets Be Kids Out of School Club - Day nursery, 0.6 milesOfsted, 3 June 2021: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Chapel Road Little Explorers Limited - Day nursery, 0.7 milesOfsted report card, 6 July 2026: Strong standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
- Green Park Day Nursery - Day nursery, 0.8 milesOfsted, 16 May 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Great Sankey Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Great Sankey Primary School is in Warrington; for families living there:
Apply to Warrington for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 19
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 14 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
8 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Warrington is 11 (the median across 96 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Great Sankey Primary School
Will you get a place at Great Sankey Primary School?
For 2026 entry it had 40 first choices for 45 places. The report sets your home postcode against these figures.
£9.99 once (inc. VAT; £19.99 for up to three schools), or Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time. What's in the report
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
316 pupils
315 places
1 pupil over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Across Warrington council
Places available
2,365
Applications
2,024
Got 1st preference
91.9%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across Warrington council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Future places in the local planning area
DfE estimates the Penketh planning area (Warrington) will need 7 more primary places than it is due to have in 2027/28.
Source: Department for Education, School capacity: Academic year 2024/25 (published 19 March 2026), estimates of future school place demand by planning area. Council pupil forecasts against reported places, counting places councils and DfE plan to add or remove; rounded to whole places. Explore Education Statistics
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
22
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
7.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
350
Total Pupils
172
Boys
178
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
18.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,235
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£1710k
Total funding
£55k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.6%
Overall absence
6.9%
Persistent absence
277
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Great Sankey Primary School
Questions parents ask about Great Sankey Primary School
What are SATs results like at Great Sankey Primary School?
Of the pupils at Great Sankey Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 87% reached the expected standard in reading and 85% did so in maths.
What is Great Sankey Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Great Sankey Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2025, was a report card with no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2013, it was rated Good.
Is it hard to get a place at Great Sankey Primary School?
Great Sankey Primary School was full in 2025, at 100% of its 315 places.
How big are the classes at Great Sankey Primary School?
Classes at Great Sankey Primary School average 28.3 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils.
How many pupils go to Great Sankey Primary School?
Great Sankey Primary School has around 350 pupils on roll. 10% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Great Sankey Primary School?
3.6% of sessions were missed at Great Sankey Primary School in 2024/25. 6.9% of pupils were persistently absent.
Does Great Sankey Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Great Sankey Primary School: Kool Kids out of School Ltd (910m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near Great Sankey Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 14 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 8 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Warrington is 11 (the median across 96 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Great Sankey Primary School?
Great Sankey Primary School is at Great Sankey Primary School, Liverpool Road, Warrington, Cheshire, WA5 1SB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)