Appleton Thorn Primary School
Arley Road, Appleton Thorn, Warrington, WA4 4RWOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Appleton Thorn Primary School is a primary school in Warrington for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 92 schools in Warrington. It ranks 12th of 65 primary schools in Warrington. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 1 April 2025, report published 12 May 2025
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Outstanding
- Personal development
- Outstanding
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 1 April 2025
Pupils at this welcoming village school bring its motto of 'individuals achieving, our community succeeding' to life. Pupils are excited to come into school each day. Staff form nurturing relationships with pupils. This helps pupils to flourish and feel happy. The school has high expectations for what pupils can achieve. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), consistently live up to these expectations. Pupils achieve well. Pupils relish every opportunity to learn. Their behaviour is exemplary around the school. From the Reception Year to Year 6, there is a calm and nurturing atmosphere that enables pupils to focus completely on their learning. Pupils take full advantage of the vast array of enrichment activities offered. For example, they benefit from outdoor learning activities and enjoy a variety of residential trips, some of which are overseas. These have been carefully designed to develop pupils' wider interests, talents and skills. Pupils contribute to their school and community in many ways. They carry out responsibilities such as being school councillors and librarians. Older pupils design and lead events such as their 'Hallowe'en scream teas' to raise money for local charities. Pupils play an integral part in the village's yearly 'Bawming the Thorn' festival.
What the school should improve
- Occasionally, the lessons that teachers deliver are not aligned precisely enough to the order of the intended curriculum. In these instances, some pupils are hindered in building their knowledge securely over time. The school should ensure that staff deliver the curriculum as intended.
- In a few subjects, pupils do not recall their prior learning securely. This hinders pupils' progress through these subject curriculums. The school should refine its processes to check on what pupils know and can confidently remember over time in these subjects.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
31 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
198 pupils on roll, with places for 210
Schools near Appleton Thorn Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grappenhall Heys Community Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted judgements: Outstanding | 87% met the expected standard |
| Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | 77% met the expected standard |
| Broomfields Junior School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 60% met the expected standard |
| Grappenhall St Wilfrid's CofE Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 72% met the expected standard |
| St Monica's Catholic Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | 61% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- THE CHALLENGE ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Zoe Jones
- Phone
- 01925266764
- Address
- Arley Road, Appleton Thorn, Warrington, WA4 4RW
- Local authority
- Warrington
- URN
- 149676
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.