Rushton CofE First School, Macclesfield
Rushton CofE First School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 9 in Macclesfield, part of The Talentum Learning Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade. It was full in 2025, at 117% of capacity.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- 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 Staffordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Rushton CofE First School in detail
Getting a place at Rushton CofE First School
For September 2026 entry, 11 families put Rushton CofE First School as their first choice and 13 named it as one of their preferences, for 11 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Rushton CofE First School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Rushton CofE First School are Horton St Michael's CofE First School (2.3 miles, Good); Bosley St Mary's CofE Primary School (2.4 miles, 38% reading, 13% maths); Wincle CofE Primary School (2.5 miles, Good, 100% reading, 91% maths); and Moor First School (3.2 miles, Requires improvement).
Horton St Michael's CofE First SchoolBosley St Mary's CofE Primary SchoolWincle CofE Primary SchoolMoor First School
The trust
Rushton CofE First School is one of 9 schools run by The Talentum Learning Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
22 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Rushton CofE First School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 96% 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 their child is happy at the school (96%).
Who goes there
2.1% 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.
In 2026, 4 pupils (8.5%) received SEN support and 1 (2.1%) 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 autism.
Staffing
Rushton CofE First School had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 8 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Rushton CofE First School.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Station Lane (opposite), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes within a mile of the school, most often burglary and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Staffordshire (86).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Rushton CofE First School issued 1 suspension, 2.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from March 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Rushton is a caring, community-focused school where your child will be known well by staff and supported to thrive. The small nurturing environment means pupils receive excellent individual attention, particularly those needing extra help. Your child will develop into a well-rounded person with strong values, excellent behaviour and a love of learning.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional behaviour and personal development - pupils live by the school's values and are respectful, happy and aspirational
- Outstanding early years provision with warm relationships and play-based learning that prepares children well for Year 1
- Effective support for pupils with SEND, helping many to catch up quickly and learn as well as their peers
- Strong phonics and early reading curriculum with regular checks to identify pupils needing extra help
- Well-planned educational trips and visitors that enhance learning and engage pupils
Areas for Improvement
- The school has not yet evaluated the impact of recently revised curriculums in some subjects, so cannot confirm pupils are learning as well as intended
- No gaps in pupils' learning have been identified across all subjects over time
- The school should carry out more activities to ensure pupils learn as well as possible in all subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Educational trips to historic houses, library van visits, range of clubs, pupil council, Christian council, eco-team, charity fundraising, breakfast club, after-school club
Rushton CofE First School is a small, nurturing academy where pupils flourish and behave exceptionally well. The school has a strong curriculum, outstanding early years provision, and excellent support for pupils with special educational needs.
At a Glance
2.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
22 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
15.7
Avg class size
18.0
Infant (KS1)
14.0
KS2
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Rushton CofE First School
Term dates
Rushton CofE First School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Staffordshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Rushton CofE First School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Rushton CofE First School is in Staffordshire; for families living there:
Apply to Staffordshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 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 Rushton CofE First School
Will you get a place at Rushton CofE First School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Rushton CofE First School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Rushton CofE First School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Rushton CofE First School.
- Staffordshire publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Rushton CofE First School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Rushton CofE First School for 2020 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Staffordshire 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
117%
Over capacity
41 pupils
35 places
6 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Macclesfield
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Macclesfield
Across Staffordshire council
Places available
10,768
Applications
8,344
Got 1st preference
95.1%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Staffordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
4
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
10.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
47
Total Pupils
22
Boys
25
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
9.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,684
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£9,095
Per pupil
£408k
Total funding
£3k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.1%
Overall absence
6.1%
Persistent absence
33
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Rushton CofE First School
What is Rushton CofE First School's Ofsted rating?
Rushton CofE First School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Rushton CofE First School?
No fixed boundary. When Rushton CofE First School is oversubscribed, Staffordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Rushton CofE First School?
Rushton CofE First School was full in 2025, at 117% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Rushton CofE First School?
Classes at Rushton CofE First School average 15.7 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Rushton CofE First School?
Rushton CofE First School has around 47 pupils on roll. 2% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Rushton CofE First School?
3.1% of sessions were missed at Rushton CofE First School in 2024/25. 6.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Rushton CofE First School?
Apply through Staffordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Rushton CofE First School 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 Rushton CofE First School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Rushton CofE First School?
Rushton CofE First School is at Sugar Street, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 0SG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)