Highfields Academy, Nantwich
Highfields Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Nantwich, part of Concordia Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 14 schools in Nantwich with published results, and 2,822nd of 14,452 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Cheshire East (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Highfields Academy in detail
Highfields Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Come and see Highfields Academy for yourself. Meet our friendly staff, explore our school and find out how we help every child thrive and succeed."
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at Highfields Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 90% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 80% and 78% in Cheshire East and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 81% in reading and 74% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Highfields Academy
For September 2026 entry, 22 families put Highfields Academy as their first choice and 48 named it as one of their preferences, for 22 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Highfields Academy are Nantwich Primary Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 68% reading, 82% maths); Kingsbourne Academy (0.8 miles); Pear Tree Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 91% reading, 91% maths); and Willaston Primary Academy (1 mile, Good, 70% reading, 67% maths).
Highfields Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Nantwich Primary AcademyKingsbourne AcademyPear Tree Primary SchoolWillaston Primary Academy
The trust
Highfields Academy is one of 10 schools run by Concordia Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 70% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
50 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Highfields Academy (as of September 2025): 62% would recommend the school, 84% say their child is happy there and 73% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (92%); the weakest, that the school supports their child's wider development (50%).
Who goes there
14.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 21 pupils (8.5%) received SEN support and 11 (4.5%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Nantwich Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Willowbank (cnr), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Highfields Academy stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 114 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cheshire East (61), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Highfields Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Highfields Academy are Malbank School and Sixth Form College (1 mile) and Brine Leas School (1.2 miles).
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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from April 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils are polite and thoughtful. They are proud to play their part in making sure that everyone is welcome in their school and that nobody feels left out. Pupils help to make the school a happy place to be.
Pupils are respectful to each other and to adults. Their behaviour around school is calm, safe and considerate of others. For example, pupils are keen to walk 'wonderfully' along the corridors so that they do not put others at risk. Pupils' positive conduct helps to create a calm and industrious atmosphere throughout the school.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has been through a period of considerable change since it was last inspected. This includes joining a different multi-academy trust and, more recently, the appointment of new senior leaders. Despite this, the school has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the time of the previous inspection.
Trustees and members of the local academy board know the school exceptionally well. Their insightful support and challenge make a strong contribution to the leadership of the school.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its April 2015 inspection - down from Outstanding.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
14.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
50 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 83% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 74% to 90% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 72% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.4
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
28.8
KS2
8
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Highfields Academy
Term dates
Highfields Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Cheshire East's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Highfields Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Highfields Academy is in Cheshire East; for families living there:
- Cheshire East's school travel policy: Compulsory school age travel policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 7 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
3 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 Cheshire East is 6 (the median across 180 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Highfields Academy
Will you get a place at Highfields Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Highfields Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Highfields Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Highfields Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Cheshire East, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Highfields Academy for 2017 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Cheshire East got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
206 pupils
210 places
4 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Nantwich
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Nantwich
Across Cheshire East council
Places available
4,535
Applications
3,733
Got 1st preference
92.3%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Cheshire East council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
21
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
13.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
247
Total Pupils
118
Boys
129
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
24.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,254
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,146
Per pupil
£1156k
Total funding
£35k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.4%
Overall absence
5.6%
Persistent absence
177
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
Highfields Academy
Questions parents ask about Highfields Academy
What are SATs results like at Highfields Academy?
Of the pupils at Highfields Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 83% reached the expected standard in reading and 90% did so in maths.
What is Highfields Academy's Ofsted rating?
Highfields Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Highfields Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Highfields Academy is oversubscribed, Cheshire East allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Highfields Academy?
Highfields Academy was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Highfields Academy?
Classes at Highfields Academy average 27.4 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Highfields Academy?
Highfields Academy has around 247 pupils on roll. 15% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Highfields Academy?
3.4% of sessions were missed at Highfields Academy in 2024/25. 5.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Highfields Academy?
Apply through Cheshire East's coordinated admissions process, naming Highfields Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Highfields Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 7 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 3 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 Cheshire East is 6 (the median across 180 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Highfields Academy?
Highfields Academy is at Cumberland Avenue, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 6HA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)