Schools by area › Cheshire East › Sandbach School
Sandbach School
Secondary · Boys · Ages 11–19 · Free school
Crewe Road, Sandbach CW11 3NS · sandbachschool.org · 01270 758870
On the mapSearch near CW11 3NS
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Mar 2025
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 48.2
- average Attainment 8 score. Cheshire East 47.1, England 46
- Last distance offered
- 4.60 mi
- 7.40 km · Year 7, September 2026 entry · Criterion 7 · Cheshire East Council
- Demand for places
- 1.1
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,534
- 34 over 1,500 places · 102%
- Local authority
- Cheshire East
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 15.1%
- First language not English
- 6.8%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Sandbach School
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, the last place offered under “Criterion 7” went to a home 4.60 mi (7.40 km) from the school. Source: Cheshire East Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 253 families put the school first and 236 places were offered; 92% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 236 | 253 | 1.1▲ | 92% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 232 | 227 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 221 | 218 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 240 | 276 | 1.2▲ | 87% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 242 | 230 | 1 | 99% |
Last distance offered
| Year 7 – Criterion 7 | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 4.60 mi7.40 km | |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 48.2, and 49.6% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Cheshire East it was 47.1, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C+ (33.2 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲48.2 | 46.0 | ||
| ▲49.6% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲74.1% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼17.2% | 40.5% | ||
| ●4.00 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 51.1 | +5.2 |
| Sixth form college | 2.7 | −5.5 |
| Further education | 34.1 | +5 |
| Other education | 1.1 | +0.2 |
| Apprenticeship | 5.7 | +1.6 |
| Employment | 1.9 | −2.2 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 1.1 | −4.4 |
| Activity not captured | 2.3 | 0 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 students | C+ (33.2) | Average +0.04 | |
| 100 students | C+ (33.3) | Average +0.04 | |
| 45 students | Merit+ (28.7) | Average -0.09 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 117 | B- (35.2) | +0.22 |
| 2022/23 | 97 | C+ (33.2) | — |
| 2021/22 | 94 | B- (36.2) | — |
| 2018/19 | 99 | C+ (33.3) | -0.14 |
| 2017/18 | 125 | C (30.2) | -0.10 |
| 2016/17 | 133 | C (28.4) | -0.14 |
| 2015/16 | 110 | C- (26.4) | -0.15 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 54.8 | −3.2 |
| Further and other education | 2 | +1.1 |
| Further education | 1.4 | — |
| Other education | 0.7 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 13 | +5.9 |
| Employment | 20.5 | −5.4 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 7.5 | +2.1 |
| Activity not captured | 2.1 | −0.6 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Sandbach School on 18 March 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 18 Mar 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form | Outstanding |
Previously: Concerns, ungraded inspection, Jun 2023
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Jun 2023Ungraded inspectionConcerns
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Nov 2014Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Good Jan 2013Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement
What parents said
88% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (274 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 88%
- Replies
- 274
- 18% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 73% who raised concerns
based on the 34% who had a child bullied
based on 44 parents (16%) with SEND