The Berkeley Academy, Crewe
The Berkeley Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Crewe, part of Chancery Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 25 schools in Crewe with published results, and 1,876th of 14,452 across England. It was 95% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 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
The Berkeley Academy in detail
The Berkeley Academy in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "We are delighted you've taken the time to find out more about life at The Berkeley. As Headteacher, I am incredibly proud to lead such a vibrant, caring, and ambitious school community, and I feel privileged to work alongside our remarkable children, dedicated staff, and supportive families."
The school runs after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 10 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Cheshire East
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at The Berkeley Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 88% 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 75% in reading and 73% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at The Berkeley Academy
For September 2026 entry, 55 families put The Berkeley Academy as their first choice and 130 named it as one of their preferences, for 59 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 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 The Berkeley Academy are Pebble Brook Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 73% reading, 81% maths); Shavington Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 89% reading, 89% maths); Vine Tree Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 75% reading, 80% maths); and St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Crewe (0.9 miles, Good, 57% reading, 53% maths).
The Berkeley Academy's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Pebble Brook Primary SchoolShavington Primary SchoolVine Tree Primary SchoolSt Mary's Catholic Primary School, Crewe
The trust
The Berkeley Academy is one of 5 schools run by Chancery Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 74% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
84 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Berkeley Academy (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 82% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (82%).
Who goes there
10.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 4.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (87%) and Mixed (5%).
In 2026, 73 pupils (16%) received SEN support and 9 (2%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Crewe Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brecon Way (opposite), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Berkeley Academy stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 8th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Berkeley Academy issued 1 suspension, 0.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Berkeley Academy are Shavington Academy (0.5 miles), St Thomas More Catholic High School (0.9 miles), Ruskin Community High School (1.1 miles) and The Oaks Academy (1.2 miles).
Shavington AcademySt Thomas More Catholic High SchoolRuskin Community High SchoolThe Oaks Academy
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 October 2019, 7 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
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Berkeley Academy creates a warm, caring environment where children thrive academically and socially. With exemplary behaviour, strong relationships, and ambitious teaching, most pupils achieve well and are ready for the next stage of their education. The school goes beyond academics to develop well-rounded children through exciting visits, clubs, and community involvement that build confidence and important life skills.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with pupils across the school speaking about their love of books and well-trained staff delivering phonics effectively
- Exemplary pupil behaviour with polite, considerate pupils who are true advocates for their school
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND through quickly identified tailored support delivered with kindness and compassion
- Rich curriculum with carefully mapped knowledge progression and staff using approaches that help pupils embed learning into long-term memory
- Wide range of enrichment opportunities including clubs, sporting tournaments, and community visits that develop teamwork and problem-solving skills
Areas for Improvement
- Writing curriculum needs refinement to ensure pupils can build skills for various audiences and purposes, with some pupils' written work not yet as strong as it could be
- Staff checks on pupil learning are not always used effectively to address errors in writing, meaning some misconceptions go unaddressed
- Need to develop staff expertise in using assessment information to maximise impact and help all pupils achieve high standards
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school maintaining strong protocols to protect pupils.
Extracurricular Activities
Board games, boxing, Spanish, sporting tournaments, woodwork, geography, sports events, residential trips, community events, care home visits
The Berkeley Academy is a happy and inclusive primary school where pupils relish attending and enthusiastically follow the school's values to 'STRIVE' for excellence. The school has maintained good standards with effective action taken since the previous inspection.
At a Glance
10.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
84 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 improved from 75% to 90% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 73% to 88% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 78% to 83% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.6
Avg class size
26.5
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 The Berkeley Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Berkeley Academy.
- LSC @ Berkerley AcademyAt the school · Not yet graded
Term dates
The Berkeley 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 The Berkeley Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Berkeley 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
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 6 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle.
2 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 The Berkeley Academy
Will you get a place at The Berkeley Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Berkeley Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Berkeley Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Berkeley 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 The Berkeley Academy for 2016 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
95%
Near capacity
401 pupils
420 places
19 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Crewe
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Crewe
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(4)
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
73
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
18.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
456
Total Pupils
226
Boys
230
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
19.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,236
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£2159k
Total funding
£56k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.9%
Overall absence
6.5%
Persistent absence
352
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
Questions parents ask about The Berkeley Academy
What are SATs results like at The Berkeley Academy?
Of the pupils at The Berkeley Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 90% reached the expected standard in reading and 88% did so in maths.
What is The Berkeley Academy's Ofsted rating?
The Berkeley Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Berkeley Academy?
No fixed boundary. When The Berkeley 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 The Berkeley Academy?
The Berkeley Academy was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at The Berkeley Academy?
Classes at The Berkeley Academy average 29.6 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 The Berkeley Academy?
The Berkeley Academy has around 456 pupils on roll. 10% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Berkeley Academy?
3.9% of sessions were missed at The Berkeley Academy in 2024/25. 6.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Berkeley Academy?
Apply through Cheshire East's coordinated admissions process, naming The Berkeley 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.
Does The Berkeley Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: LSC @ Berkerley Academy (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near The Berkeley Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 6 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle. 2 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 The Berkeley Academy?
The Berkeley Academy is at Laidon Avenue, Wistaston, Crewe, Cheshire, CW2 6RU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)