The Cheadle Academy

About The Cheadle Academy

Ofsted's Parent View responses for The Cheadle Academy, collected between September 2024 and September 2025, show that 72% of the 54 parents who responded would recommend the school. That's a solid majority, though it leaves more than a quarter who wouldn't. The school is clearly popular with local families at the admissions stage: for 2025/26 entry, it received 129 applications for 61 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.11, and made 58 first-preference offers. On specific questions, the strongest signals were around happiness and safety – 83% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 85% that their child feels safe. The picture is more mixed on behaviour, where 61% agreed the school ensures good behaviour, but 35% disagreed. On SEND support, the response was notably split: 41% agreed or strongly agreed that children get the support they need, while 59% disagreed or strongly disagreed, the highest disagreement rate of any question.

Academically, the school's most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2019 rated it Good overall, with Good for leadership and management and Good for sixth-form provision. An ungraded inspection in February 2025 confirmed that standards are being maintained. However, the 2023/24 exam results paint a more challenging picture. At Key Stage 4, the school's Progress 8 score was -0.68, which is well below average and ranks it 47th out of 75 similar schools in Staffordshire. The local authority average Progress 8 is -0.18, so the school is significantly behind that benchmark. Attainment 8 was 37, and 44.7% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score was 3.12, and only 1% of pupils entered the full EBacc. In the sixth form, the school had 11 pupils in the 2023/24 cohort, with a value-added score of -0.42, classed as below average, and an average points per entry of 25.42, equivalent to a C- grade.

The school operates from a site with a wide range of facilities including a sports hall, swimming pool, astro turf, music rooms, science labs, a theatre, library, chapel, and a sixth form centre. It offers a broad set of sports and clubs, from rugby and rowing to coding and eco club. The school's SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 26.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average disadvantage. The school is currently well under its capacity of 1,000, with 398 pupils on roll, so there is plenty of room. Given the oversubscription ratio of 2.11, families applying should still be aware that demand outstrips supply, but the school is not as heavily oversubscribed as some. This is a school that suits families who value a Good Ofsted rating and a broad range of facilities and activities, but who are realistic about the academic outcomes being below the local average.

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