Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley

Summary

Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley (E02003875) is part of Cheshire West and Chester local authority (view on map). Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley has an approximate population of 6,500 people, of which 13% are children 15 years old and under. It is classified as "smaller rural: nearer to a major town or city".

Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley neighbours Sandymoor, Daresbury & Preston Brook, Norton, Halton Lea & Brookvale, Beechwood & Heath, Appleton Thorn, Stretton & Walton, Mobberley, Plumley & High Legh, Frodsham, Barnton, Helsby & Kingsley, Lostock & Wincham, Northwich Central & Winnington, Weaverham, and Sandiway.

Headlines

  • 11% of children are living in low-income families, ranking it among the 10% least deprived regarding income deprivation among children in England – see more.
  • 8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, placing it in the bottom 10% of all areas in England – see more.
  • 4% of pupils belong to a minority ethnic group, placing it in the bottom 10% of all areas in England – see more.
  • -999% of pupils have a first language known or believed to be other than English, placing it in the bottom 10% of all areas in England – see more.
Guidance and data sources

Local area pages are based on the middle-layer super output areas (MSOAs) distributed across the country. MSOAs comprise between 2,000 and 6,000 households and have a resident population of, generally, between 5,000 and 15,000 people. MSOAs fit within local authorities. For each area, descriptive statistics are compared with local authority and national averages. For more information about MSOAs, please visit the Office for National Statistics website.

The data displayed is sourced from:

Deprivation

Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley is the 6th least deprived area in Cheshire West and Chester (out of 47) with 11% of children living in low-income families, compared to 29% across Cheshire West and Chester and 38% nationally.

11% of children are living in low-income families, ranking it among the 10% least deprived regarding income deprivation among children in England.

Data source

State-funded pupil characteristics

Information acquired from the school census.

Free school meals

In Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley, 8% of state-funded pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared to 21% in Cheshire West and Chester and 27% nationally.

8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, placing it in the bottom 10% of all areas in England.

Contents

Percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals

Table showing the percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals

% in Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley % in Cheshire West and Chester % in England
Eligible for free school meals 8% 21% 27%
Not eligible for free school meals 92% 79% 73%

Data source

Special educational needs

In Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley, 16% of pupils in state-funded settings have special educational needs (SEN), compared to 21% in Cheshire West and Chester, and 21% nationally.

This includes the number of pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan and the number of pupils with SEN support.

Contents

Percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools

Table showing the percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools

% in Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley % in Cheshire West and Chester % in England
No special educational needs 85% 79% 79%
Receiving special educational needs support 11% 14% 15%
With an education, health, and care plan (EHCP) 5% 7% 6%

Data source

Ethnicity

In Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley, 4% of pupils are from a minority ethnic background, compared to 12% in Cheshire West and Chester, and 33% nationally.

Percentages may not sum to 100%, due to small values being suppressed.

4% of pupils belong to a minority ethnic group, placing it in the bottom 10% of all areas in England.

Contents

Percentage of pupils by major ethnic groups

Table

% in Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley % in Cheshire West and Chester % in England
White 95% 89% 67%
Asian – 4% 14%
Black 0% 2% 7%
Mixed 2% 4% 7%
Other 0% 1% 3%
Not known – 1% 2%

Data source

English as an additional language

The percentage of pupils in Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley with English as an additional language is suppressed due to low numbers, compared with 9% in Cheshire West and Chester, and 22% nationally.

Numbers may not sum to 100%, due to a small number of pupils with an unclassified language.

-999% of pupils have a first language known or believed to be other than English, placing it in the bottom 10% of all areas in England.

Contents

Percentage of pupils with English as an additional language

Table

% in Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley % in Cheshire West and Chester % in England
Known or believed to be other than English – 9% 22%
Known or believed to be English – 91% 78%

Data source

Provider information

Jump to:

Registered childcare providers

Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley has 10 registered childcare providers.

Type Number in Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley
All childcare providers 10
Childminders 1
Pre-school/day nursery/out-of-school care 9

There have been no inspections of childcare providers in Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.

Data source

State-funded schools

Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley has 7 state-funded schools.

Type Number in Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley
All state-funded schools 7
Nursery schools 0
Primary and all-through schools 7
Secondary and all-through schools 0
Special schools 0
Registered alternative provision 0

In Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley, there have been 2 full inspections of schools since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.

Under the renewed education inspection framework, schools are evaluated on the following areas:

  • Achievement
  • Attendance and behaviour
  • Curriculum and teaching
  • Early years (where applicable)
  • Inclusion
  • Leadership and governance
  • Personal development and wellbeing
  • Post 16 provision (where applicable)

The evaluation scale for each evaluation area, other than safeguarding, is:

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Achievement: 1 was graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'urgent improvement' (of 2).

Attendance and behaviour: 1 was graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'needs attention' (of 2).

Curriculum and teaching: 1 was graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'urgent improvement' (of 2).

Early years: 1 was graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'urgent improvement' (of 2).

Inclusion: 1 was graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'urgent improvement' (of 2).

Leadership and governance: 1 was graded 'needs attention', and 1 was graded 'urgent improvement' (of 2).

Personal development and wellbeing: 1 was graded 'expected standard', and 1 was graded 'needs attention' (of 2).

Post-16 provision: There have been no inspections of Post-16 provision in Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley so no outcomes are available for this area.

The tables below show the outcomes of inspections of state-funded schools in Comberbach, Acton Bridge & Whitley. The tables are split by provider type, and show the number of inspections that have taken place for each area, and the outcomes of those inspections.

Contents

All schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 2 0 0 1 0 1
Attendance and behaviour 2 0 0 1 1 0
Curriculum and teaching 2 0 0 1 0 1
Early years 2 0 0 1 0 1
Inclusion 2 0 0 1 0 1
Leadership and governance 2 0 0 0 1 1
Personal development and wellbeing 2 0 0 1 1 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Nursery schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Early years 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 0 0 0 0 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 0 0 0 0 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Primary schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 2 0 0 1 0 1
Attendance and behaviour 2 0 0 1 1 0
Curriculum and teaching 2 0 0 1 0 1
Early years 2 0 0 1 0 1
Inclusion 2 0 0 1 0 1
Leadership and governance 2 0 0 0 1 1
Personal development and wellbeing 2 0 0 1 1 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Secondary schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Early years 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 0 0 0 0 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 0 0 0 0 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Special schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Early years 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 0 0 0 0 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 0 0 0 0 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Registered alternative provision

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Early years 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 0 0 0 0 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 0 0 0 0 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Data sources: