Ofsted: Good trending_up Places Available emoji_events #2 in Halton public Top 17% UK

Palace Fields Primary Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

person Miss Genna Hitchin (Head of School)

corporate_fareTHE HEATH FAMILY (NORTH WEST)

location_onRuncorn, WA7 2QW

language Visit Website phone 01928242855

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2019

groups

Students

166

school

Expected Standard

77%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

1.0x

summarize

Palace Fields Primary Academy is a Academy converter primary school in Runcorn, serving ages 3-11. Rated Good by Ofsted. Ranks in the top 17% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Palace Fields Primary Academy is an academy converter in Runcorn, Halton, admitting pupils aged 3-11. It is part of THE HEATH FAMILY (NORTH WEST). The school has approximately 127 pupils on roll, of whom 46% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 77% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined. The school ranks #2 of 48 primaries in Halton and #591 of 14,159 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2019. The school's current overall rating is Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 17.4:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.4 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

77%

LA 59%

Reading85% LA 74%

Writing85% LA 70%

Maths92% LA 71%

Read SS

108

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

110

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

48%

LA 57%England 61%

Reading64% LA 72% · Eng 74%

Writing68% LA 70% · Eng 72%

Maths48% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

100

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

52%

LA 55%England 60%

Reading63% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Writing67% LA 68% · Eng 71%

Maths63% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

100

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

-1.1

Read

LA 0.4

-3.5 to 1.3

-0.4

Write

LA 0.3

-2.8 to 1.9

-2.9

Maths

LA -0.3

-5.2 to -0.7

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

38%

LA 58%England 65%

Reading48% LA 68% · Eng 73%

Writing69% LA 75% · Eng 78%

Maths59% LA 74% · Eng 79%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

-1.0

Read

LA -0.1

-3.3 to 1.2

2.0

Write

LA 0.4

-0.1 to 4.1

-0.7

Maths

LA -0.4

-2.7 to 1.2

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

52%

LA 60%

Reading60% LA 72%

Writing68% LA 72%

Maths64% LA 71%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

-0.6

Read

LA 0.4

-3 to 1.8

0.2

Write

LA 0.4

-2.1 to 2.5

0.1

Maths

LA 0.5

-2.1 to 2.3

leaderboard

Ranking History & Trajectory

National & Local Authority position based on DfE performance data · Methodology

Year	Primary Overall (Nat)	LA Rank	Attainment	Progress
2025	#591 / 14,159	#2	#2,402	#1
2024	#10,267 / 14,233	#35	#11,019	#1
2023	#10,516 / 13,940	#36	#9,630	#10,679
2019	#9,053 / 11,810	#32	#11,341	#6,027
2018	#6,797 / 10,972	#26	#9,062	#6,155

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

26 November 2024

Inspection Report

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02 April 2019

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

2 Evaluations

2019-04-02

S5 Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

verified_user Safeguarding: Met

2015-10-20

None Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

verified_user Safeguarding: Met

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.0%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.0%(0 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 128 pupils. During this period, there were 0 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.0%, which is below the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	128	0	0.0%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	127	1	0.8%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	149	3	2.0%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	146	1	0.7%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	142	1	0.7%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	166	0	0.0%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	166	0	0.0%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	171	4	2.3%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	171	2	1.2%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	174	3	1.7%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	170	1	0.6%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	186	0	0.0%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	185	0	0.0%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	184	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	188	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	188	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	178	0	0.0%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	187	0	0.0%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	184	0	0.0%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	186	2	1.1%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	197	9	4.6%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	200	6	3.0%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	199	0	0.0%	0.5%
2016/17 (Summer term)	220	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Spring term)	212	0	0.0%	0.4%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 16 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 7 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 5 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 3 pupils

Physical Disability 3 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

Multi-Sensory Impairment 2 pupils

Visual Impairment 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

86%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

91%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

23%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree32%

agree45%

disagree14%

don't know9%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree55%

agree36%

disagree9%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree32%

agree32%

disagree9%

strongly disagree5%

don't know5%

not applicable18%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree45%

agree36%

disagree9%

don't know9%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree50%

agree36%

disagree14%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree36%

agree50%

disagree14%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree41%

agree45%

don't know14%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree64%

agree32%

disagree5%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree23%

agree50%

disagree18%

don't know9%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes77%

no23%

Top Primary Schools in Halton

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

Hale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Good

location_on Liverpool, L24 4AN

emoji_events #1 in LA

Moorfield Primary School

Good

location_on Widnes, WA8 3HJ

emoji_events #3 in LA

St Gerard's Catholic Primary and Nursery School

Strong standard

location_on Widnes, WA8 6DD

emoji_events #4 in LA

Daresbury Primary School

Good

location_on Warrington, WA4 4AJ

emoji_events #5 in LA

Castle View Primary School

Good

location_on Runcorn, WA7 2DZ

emoji_events #6 in LA

St Clement's Catholic Primary School

Good

location_on Runcorn, WA7 4NX

emoji_events #7 in LA

View all schools in Halton arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ranking History & Trajectory

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Halton

Hale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Moorfield Primary School

St Gerard's Catholic Primary and Nursery School

Daresbury Primary School

Castle View Primary School

St Clement's Catholic Primary School