Boost in academic attainment for Key Stage Two pupils in Cheshire East

Provisional data released by the Department for Education shows a boost in academic attainment among Year 6 pupils in Cheshire East, with strong performance in reading, writing, and maths for the 2024/25 academic year.

The results reflect the achievements of pupils who sat their Key Stage 2 assessments in summer 2025 - a cohort whose early education was notably disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly during Years 1 and 2.

64 per cent of pupils in key stage 2 in the borough’ schools and academies met or exceeded the expected standard in these subject areas, beating the national average and figures from the North West, which came out at 61 and 60 percent respectively.

The results for Cheshire East also showed a continuous increase in pupils meeting the expected standards and the higher standard, while national and North West results remain unchanged.

The data also highlights a notable improvement among boys in Cheshire East, with 62 percent meeting the expected standard, up from 59 per cent in 2024. This places the borough’s boys equal 29th nationally among all local authorities.

For the first time, the DfE has published attainment data for young carers. In Cheshire East, 74 children were identified as young carers, with 54 percent achieving the expected standard or above, again surpassing the national average (49 percent) and the North West (47 percent). This ranks Cheshire East equal 35th nationally for young carer attainment.

Councillor Laura Crane, Chair of Cheshire East’s children and families committee, said:

“I’m really pleased to see our Year 6 pupils in Cheshire East excelling academically in the key areas of reading writing and maths. These figures are so promising, and reflect the hard work and dedication from our education teams to maintain high standards of teaching for our primary school children, helping to set them up for a successful journey into secondary school.

“Investing in our children is one of the most important things we can do as corporate parents and as a local authority, which is reflected in one of the outcomes in our Cheshire East Plan – where we’ve outlined our commitment to helping children and young people to thrive and reach their potential with targeted support when they need it.

“I’m equally pleased to see the addition of young carers in this year’s data. These children often shoulder responsibilities beyond their years. This data will enable us to pinpoint the areas of support required for this characteristic group, so we can ensure we are providing enough support to these inspirational pupils – both in and out the classroom”.