SCHOOL PROFILE

The Orchards

Not applicable Free schools special URN 142782
Open
Pupils 8,834,192 Latest school census
Capacity 149 Published school capacity
Capacity used 99.3% Pupils as a share of capacity
Age range 3 – 11 Statutory age range
OFSTED

Latest ungraded inspection

12 February 2025
Latest published outcome Improved significantly
SCHOOL DETAILS

About this school

School type Free schools special
Phase Not applicable
Gender Mixed
Religious character Does not apply
Local authority Trafford
Trust BRIGHT FUTURES EDUCATIONAL TRUST
Census date 15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE

School community

Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.

2025/26
Total pupils 148 141 full-time · 7 part-time
Female pupils 36 24.3% of pupils
Male pupils 112 75.7% of pupils

Free school meals

Pupils eligible for free school meals.

52.7%
27.9 pts above England
School 52.7%
Trafford 16.9%
North West 28.5%
England 24.8%

English as an additional language

Pupils whose first language is not English.

37.8%
17.5 pts above England
School 37.8%
Trafford 23.2%
North West 18.1%
England 20.3%

Young carers

Pupils recorded as young carers.

0.0%
1.0 pts below England
School 0.0%
Trafford 0.8%
North West 0.8%
England 1.0%

Ethnicity

Largest recorded pupil groups.

White British
32.4%
48
Pakistani
14.2%
21
Any other Mixed background
12.8%
19
Any other Black background
7.4%
11
Any other Asian background
5.4%
8
Any other ethnic group
5.4%
8
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 100.0% 148 of 148 pupils
79.2 pts above England England: 20.8%
School 100.0%
Trafford 17.7%
North West 22.1%
England 20.8%
SEN support 6.8% 10 pupils
England 14.8% 8.0 pts below
EHC plans 93.2% 138 pupils
England 6.0% 87.2 pts above
PRIMARY NEEDS

Most common identified needs

Pupils
Speech, language & communication 70
Autistic spectrum disorder 41
No specialist assessment yet 9
Moderate learning difficulty 5
Severe learning difficulty 5
Social, emotional & mental health 5

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

0.0% 60.4 pts below England
School 0.0%
Trafford 66.5%
North West 59.1%
England 60.4%
EXPECTED STANDARD

Reading

7.0%

66.8 pts below England

School 7.0%
Trafford 78.5%
North West 73.2%
England 73.8%
EXPECTED STANDARD

Writing

0.0%

70.3 pts below England

School 0.0%
Trafford 73.8%
North West 69.2%
England 70.3%
EXPECTED STANDARD

Maths

7.0%

65.0 pts below England

School 7.0%
Trafford 76.1%
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

6.83%

Percentage of possible sessions missed.

0.61 pts higher than England
School 6.83%
Trafford 5.62%
North West 6.25%
England 6.22%
ABSENCE RATE

Persistent absence

18.18%

Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.

2.37 pts higher than England
School 18.18%
Trafford 13.07%
North West 15.89%
England 15.82%
ABSENCE RATE

Severe absence

0.83%

Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.

0.98 pts lower than England
School 0.83%
Trafford 1.46%
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 not applicable schools.

CAPACITY

Capacity utilisation

99.3% 19.5 pts above England
The Orchards
99.3%
Trafford
89.5%
North West
82.4%
England
79.8%
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