SCHOOL PROFILE

Palace Fields Primary Academy

Primary Academy converter URN 143768
Open
Pupils 8,834,192 Latest school census
Capacity 250 Published school capacity
Capacity used 50.8% Pupils as a share of capacity
Age range 3 – 11 Statutory age range
OFSTED

Latest ungraded inspection

26 November 2024
Latest published outcome Standards maintained
SCHOOL DETAILS

About this school

School type Academy converter
Phase Primary
Gender Mixed
Religious character Does not apply
Local authority Halton
Trust THE HEATH FAMILY (NORTH WEST)
Census date 15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE

School community

Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.

2025/26
Total pupils 127 117 full-time · 10 part-time
Female pupils 54 42.5% of pupils
Male pupils 73 57.5% of pupils

Free school meals

Pupils eligible for free school meals.

45.7%
20.9 pts above England
School 45.7%
Halton 38.9%
North West 28.5%
England 24.8%

English as an additional language

Pupils whose first language is not English.

3.9%
16.4 pts below England
School 3.9%
Halton 5.6%
North West 18.1%
England 20.3%

Young carers

Pupils recorded as young carers.

3.9%
2.9 pts above England
School 3.9%
Halton 2.6%
North West 0.8%
England 1.0%

Ethnicity

Largest recorded pupil groups.

White British
84.3%
107
Unclassified
7.1%
9
Any other White background
3.9%
5
Any other Mixed background
2.4%
3
African
0.8%
1
Indian
0.8%
1
Council, regional and national comparisons are pupil-weighted using published school census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS

Special educational needs

Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.

2025/26
Pupils with SEN 39.4% 50 of 127 pupils
18.5 pts above England England: 20.8%
School 39.4%
Halton 26.1%
North West 22.1%
England 20.8%
SEN support 27.6% 35 pupils
England 14.8% 12.8 pts above
EHC plans 11.8% 15 pupils
England 6.0% 5.8 pts above
PRIMARY NEEDS

Most common identified needs

Pupils
Speech, language & communication 19
Moderate learning difficulty 10
Social, emotional & mental health 10
Physical disability 5
Specific learning difficulty 3
Profound & multiple learning difficulty 1

SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Key stage 2 outcomes

Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.

2024/25
EXPECTED STANDARD

Reading, writing & maths

77.0% 16.6 pts above England
School 77.0%
Halton 59.1%
North West 59.1%
England 60.4%
EXPECTED STANDARD

Reading

85.0%

11.2 pts above England

School 85.0%
Halton 73.7%
North West 73.2%
England 73.8%
EXPECTED STANDARD

Writing

85.0%

14.7 pts above England

School 85.0%
Halton 70.2%
North West 69.2%
England 70.3%
EXPECTED STANDARD

Maths

92.0%

20.0 pts above England

School 92.0%
Halton 70.7%
North West 71.7%
England 72.0%
School results show the percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard. Council, regional and national comparisons are averages of published school-level percentages and are not pupil-weighted official attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE

Attendance profile

Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.

2024/25
ABSENCE RATE

Overall absence

5.99%

Percentage of possible sessions missed.

0.22 pts lower than England
School 5.99%
Halton 7.11%
North West 6.25%
England 6.22%
ABSENCE RATE

Persistent absence

15.79%

Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.

0.03 pts lower than England
School 15.79%
Halton 19.58%
North West 15.89%
England 15.82%
ABSENCE RATE

Severe absence

1.75%

Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.

0.05 pts lower than England
School 1.75%
Halton 1.86%
North West 1.75%
England 1.80%
Council, regional and national comparisons are averages of published school-level percentages rather than pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

School context

Comparison with open primary schools.

CAPACITY

Capacity utilisation

50.8% 37.4 pts below England
Palace Fields Primary Academy
50.8%
Halton
83.7%
North West
90.6%
England
88.2%
Benchmarks use open schools in the same phase. Capacity utilisation is calculated from published pupil and capacity figures.
Sources: Department for Education · Get Information about Schools · Ofsted monthly management information