Cranberry Academy

Cheshire East · ST7 2LE

General information Primary School · 3-11 years Who goes here 434 pupils, 10.5% FSM

Educational attainment Ofsted report card

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 14.5% on SEN support Behaviour 3.4% absence rate Staff 6.8% turnover Financials £5,220 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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Cranberry Academy

General Information

Address: Cranberry Lane, Alsager, ST7 2LE – View on map
Phone: 01270902054
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mrs Lucie Smith
Age range: 3-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 47 families put it first for 52 places – 9 for every 10 places. Every one of them was offered a place. 1 of the 52 places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 9 · 2024 9 · 2025 10 · 2026 9
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: None
Nursery provision: Yes

Who goes here

434 pupils out of 472 places

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 45
% eligible for free school meals: 10.5%
Pupil mix: 2 in 10 (less mixed than the Cheshire East average)
English as an additional language: 6% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 6.8% a year (Cheshire East 12.6%, typical in England 13.9%) Low turnover
Where they went: about 50% moved to another school, 50% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 3 years, DfE school workforce census)

Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house. "Low turnover" means it's among the quarter of similar schools in England where teachers are most likely to stay.

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across Cheshire East: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 1 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
Suspensions for bullying: 1 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 1 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary schools in Cheshire East, not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

Attendance

Overall absence: 3.4%
Persistently absent pupils: 5.5%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

Pupils on SEN Support: 14.5%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 1.8%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need: 28 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 14 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 9 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 6 pupils
Physical disability: 3 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Specific learning difficulty: 5 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 1 pupil
Social, emotional and mental health: 1 pupil
Speech, language and communications needs: 1 pupil

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

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Behaviour

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Openness

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Teaching Quality

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School Ethos

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Ability to Deal with Problems

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Headteacher Approval

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SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

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Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

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Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

Ofsted report card June 2026

Ofsted's new report cards grade each part of school life separately, instead of giving one overall word.

Safeguarding Met
Inclusion Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard
Early years Expected standard
Leadership and governance Expected standard

Before this, under the old system, Ofsted rated the school Good (2022). The report card above replaces that grade.

How Ofsted report cards work

Since November 2025, Ofsted grades each area of a school on its own five-point scale, and no longer gives a single word like “Good” or “Outstanding”. Safeguarding (keeping children safe) is simply met or not met.

Exceptional The very best practice nationally
Strong standard Above what Ofsted expects
Expected standard What Ofsted expects of every school
Needs attention Some weaknesses the school needs to fix
Urgent improvement Serious weaknesses needing urgent action

“Expected standard” is a sound result – it's what Ofsted expects a good school to do. Report cards aren't directly comparable with the old single grades, which is why we don't turn them into one.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 58% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 8% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 8 percentage points below the Cheshire East average (66%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: As expected (3-year average 65% against an expected 63%)
3-year average (expected standard): 65%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 67% · Writing 78% · Maths 72% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 78%
Average test scores: reading 104, maths 103
Based on: 60 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

This schoolCheshire East averageEngland↘ Falling Down 13 percentage points since 2022/23. In 2024/25 this school was 8 percentage points below the Cheshire East average (66%).

Year 6 SATs: joint 83rd of 114 junior and primary schools in the area

#82Havannah Primary School59%
=83Ash Grove Academy58%
=83Cranberry Academy58%
=83High Legh Primary School58%
=83Wheelock Primary School58%

Click to see the full ranking

Year 6 SATs ranking

Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.

Rank School Score

#1Wincle CofE Primary School91%
=2Ashdene Primary School89%
=2Lostock Hall Primary School89%
=4Calveley Primary Academy88%
=4Gorsey Bank Primary School88%
=4Lindow Community Primary School88%
#7Egerton Primary School87%
#8Goostrey Community Primary School86%
=9Acton Church of England Primary Academy84%
=9Excalibur Primary School84%
=9Rode Heath Primary School84%
=12Bridgemere CofE Primary School83%
=12Chelford CofE Primary School83%
=12Shavington Primary School83%
#15Bexton Primary School82%
=16Christ The King Catholic and Church of England Primary School80%
=16Prestbury CofE Primary School80%
=16The Berkeley Academy80%
=16Wistaston Academy80%
#20Lacey Green Primary Academy79%
#21Weston Village Primary School78%
=22Peover Superior Endowed Primary School77%
=22Pikemere School77%
=22Vernon Primary School77%
#25Brierley Primary School76%
=26Disley Primary School75%
=26Haslington Primary Academy75%
=26Mobberley CofE Primary School75%
=26Nether Alderley Primary School75%
=26Offley Primary Academy75%
=26Pear Tree Primary School75%
=26Rainow Primary School75%
=26Sandbach Primary Academy75%
=26St Oswald's Worleston CofE Primary School75%
=35Handforth Grange Primary School74%
=35Sound and District Primary School74%
=37Adlington Primary School73%
=37Bunbury Aldersey CofE Primary School73%
=37Dean Valley Community Primary School73%
=37Elworth CofE Primary School73%
=37Marlborough Primary School73%
=37Wybunbury Delves CofE Primary School73%
#43Alsager Highfields Community Primary School72%
=44Bollington Cross CofE Primary School71%
=44Millfields Primary Academy71%
=44St Paul's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy71%
=47Audlem St James' CofE Primary School70%
=47Mossley CofE Primary School70%
=47Wistaston Church Lane Academy70%
=50Highfields Academy69%
=50Holmes Chapel Primary School69%
=50Monks Coppenhall Academy69%
=50Mottram St Andrew Primary Academy69%
=50Puss Bank School and Nursery69%
=55Black Firs Primary School68%
=55Weaver Primary School68%
=57Middlewich Primary School67%
=57St Gabriel's Catholic Primary School67%
#59Gawsworth Primary School66%
=60Manor Park Primary School and Nursery65%
=60Pebble Brook Primary School65%
=60The Dingle Primary School65%
=60The Quinta Primary School65%
=60Whirley Primary School65%
=60Worth Primary School65%
=66Leighton Academy63%
=66Scholar Green Primary School63%
=66Styal Primary School63%
=66Upton Priory School63%
=70Brereton CofE Primary School62%
=70Edleston Primary School62%
=70St Anne's Fulshaw C of E Primary School62%
=70St John the Evangelist CofE Primary School Macclesfield62%
=74Bollinbrook CofE (A) Primary School61%
=74Daven Primary School61%
=74Nantwich Primary Academy61%
=74St Anne's Catholic Primary School61%
=78Buglawton Primary School60%
=78Hermitage Primary School60%
=78The Wilmslow Academy60%
=78Wrenbury Primary School60%
#82Havannah Primary School59%
=83Ash Grove Academy58%
=83Cranberry Academy58%
=83High Legh Primary School58%
=83Wheelock Primary School58%
=83Willaston Primary Academy58%
=88Marton and District CofE Aided Primary School57%
=88Parkroyal Community School57%
#90Ivy Bank Primary School56%
#91Hungerford Primary Academy55%
=92Bollington St John's CofE Primary School54%
=92Mablins Lane Community Primary School54%
#94Saint Mary's Catholic Primary School53%
=95Broken Cross Primary Academy and Nursery52%
=95Elworth Hall Primary School52%
#97Pott Shrigley CofE Primary School50%
=98St Alban's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy48%
=98St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Crewe48%
#100Stapeley Broad Lane CofE Primary School45%
=101Beechwood Primary School and Nursery44%
=101Bickerton Holy Trinity CofE Primary School44%
=101Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School44%
=104Hollinhey Primary School43%
=104Smallwood CofE Primary School43%
#106Vine Tree Primary School40%
#107Underwood West Academy38%
=108St Michael's Community Academy33%
=108Warmingham CofE Primary School33%
=108Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School33%
#111Marlfields Primary School28%
#112Astbury St Mary's CofE Primary School15%
#113Little Bollington CofE Primary School9%
#114Bosley St Mary's CofE Primary School0%

View full Ofsted inspection report

Financials

Spending per pupil: £5,220 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

110th of 121 primary schools in Cheshire East for spending per pupil

#108St John's CofE Academy£5,385
#109Haslington Primary Academy£5,333
#110Cranberry Academy£5,220
#111Stapeley Broad Lane CofE Primary School£4,214
#112Cledford Primary & Nursery Academy£3,878

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Pott Shrigley CofE Primary School£16,129
#2St Anne's Fulshaw C of E Primary School£10,259
#3Wincle CofE Primary School£10,240
#4Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School£9,777
#5Daven Primary School£9,606
#6Chelford CofE Primary School£9,570
#7Little Bollington CofE Primary School£9,524
#8Styal Primary School£8,896
#9Bosley St Mary's CofE Primary School£8,864
#10Lindow Community Primary School£8,800
#11Christ The King Catholic and Church of England Primary School£8,663
#12Broken Cross Primary Academy and Nursery£8,622
#13Havannah Primary School£8,185
#14Calveley Primary Academy£8,151
#15Sandbach Primary Academy£8,102
#16Buglawton Primary School£8,090
#17Peover Superior Endowed Primary School£8,000
#18Wrenbury Primary School£7,917
#19Scholar Green Primary School£7,908
#20St Paul's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy£7,905
#21Bollinbrook CofE (A) Primary School£7,756
#22Lacey Green Primary Academy£7,751
#23Edleston Primary School£7,686
#24Bridgemere CofE Primary School£7,682
#25Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School£7,652
#26Bollington St John's CofE Primary School£7,595
#27Nether Alderley Primary School£7,574
#28Wistaston Academy£7,519
#29Puss Bank School and Nursery£7,453
#30Upton Priory School£7,397
#31Adlington Primary School£7,359
#32Ash Grove Academy£7,256
#33Marton and District CofE Aided Primary School£7,188
#34Hollinhey Primary School£7,181
#35Bollington Cross CofE Primary School£7,162
#36Sound and District Primary School£7,073
#37Underwood West Academy£7,045
#38Brereton CofE Primary School£7,020
#39Brierley Primary School£7,018
#40Hermitage Primary School£7,010
#41Leighton Academy£6,949
#42Astbury St Mary's CofE Primary School£6,884
#43High Legh Primary School£6,842
#44Pear Tree Primary School£6,834
#45Dean Valley Community Primary School£6,826
#46Goostrey Community Primary School£6,824
#47Pebble Brook Primary School£6,814
#48Elworth Hall Primary School£6,772
#49Ivy Bank Primary School£6,760
#50Rainow Primary School£6,760
#51Mobberley CofE Primary School£6,715
#52Nantwich Primary Academy£6,697
#53Bickerton Holy Trinity CofE Primary School£6,696
#54St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Crewe£6,681
#55Weston Village Primary School£6,565
#56Lostock Hall Primary School£6,491
#57Vine Tree Primary School£6,478
#58Saint Mary's Catholic Primary School£6,477
#59Mottram St Andrew Primary Academy£6,450
#60St Michael's Community Academy£6,439
#61Alsager Highfields Community Primary School£6,404
#62Hungerford Primary Academy£6,402
#63Elworth CofE Primary School£6,387
#64St Alban's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy£6,370
#65Wheelock Primary School£6,369
#66Acton Church of England Primary Academy£6,364
#67Handforth Grange Primary School£6,353
#68Egerton Primary School£6,343
#69St John the Evangelist CofE Primary School Macclesfield£6,330
#70Wistaston Church Lane Academy£6,326
#71Beechwood Primary School and Nursery£6,320
#72The Wilmslow Academy£6,313
#73Shavington Primary School£6,291
#74Smallwood CofE Primary School£6,290
#75Millfields Primary Academy£6,275
#76Monks Coppenhall Academy£6,272
#77Middlewich Primary School£6,249
#78Mablins Lane Community Primary School£6,231
#79Audlem St James' CofE Primary School£6,205
#80The Quinta Primary School£6,179
#81Manor Park Primary School and Nursery£6,177
#82Parkroyal Community School£6,165
#83Mossley CofE Primary School£6,148
#84Offley Primary Academy£6,133
#85Excalibur Primary School£6,131
#86Wybunbury Delves CofE Primary School£6,090
#87Gorsey Bank Primary School£6,039
#88Marlborough Primary School£6,039
#89Willaston Primary Academy£6,031
#90Pikemere School£6,020
#91St Anne's Catholic Primary School£6,020
#92Whirley Primary School£6,014
#93St Gabriel's Catholic Primary School£5,990
#94Worth Primary School£5,981
#95Weaver Primary School£5,945
#96Prestbury CofE Primary School£5,918
#97Rode Heath Primary School£5,917
#98The Dingle Primary School£5,914
#99Gawsworth Primary School£5,867
#100Holmes Chapel Primary School£5,866
#101Black Firs Primary School£5,822
#102Highfields Academy£5,815
#103Ashdene Primary School£5,797
#104Vernon Primary School£5,765
#105Bexton Primary School£5,761
#106Disley Primary School£5,745
#107The Berkeley Academy£5,490
#108St John's CofE Academy£5,385
#109Haslington Primary Academy£5,333
#110Cranberry Academy£5,220
#111Stapeley Broad Lane CofE Primary School£4,214
#112Cledford Primary & Nursery Academy£3,878
#113Lower Park School£3,743
#114Gainsborough Primary & Nursery Academy£3,672
#115Warmingham CofE Primary School£3,632
#116Hurdsfield Community Primary School and Nursery£3,542
#117St Oswald's Worleston CofE Primary School£3,530
#118Marlfields Primary School£3,429
#119Bunbury Aldersey CofE Primary School£2,700
#120St. Benedict's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy£2,688
#121St. Mary's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy£1,506

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

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