Welcome from the Headteacher

High expectations, strong teaching and academic success at The Macclesfield Academy 

Can I extend a very warm welcome to parents considering The Macclesfield Academy. We know that choosing a secondary school is one of the most important decisions you will make for your child, and at TMA we take that responsibility deeply seriously. From the moment students walk through our doors, they enter a calm, purposeful and ambitious learning community where every child is known, valued and supported to achieve. We believe that a great school combines uncompromising academic standards with warmth, integrity and care—and that is exactly what families experience here, every day. Our commitment is simple: to empower young people to seize confident futures, develop character alongside confidence, and work in genuine partnership with parents so that every young person is exceptionally prepared for the opportunities ahead.

Teaching and learning are guided by ‘The TMA Way’ – a shared approach across the academy that is designed to stretch and challenge pupils, ensure consistency in classrooms and promote high expectations for all. Lessons focus on clear explanations, high‑quality questioning, deliberate practice and regular retrieval so that pupils build deep understanding and remember what they have learned over time. This aligned approach has strengthened the quality of learning pupils experience every day. 

The Macclesfield Academy is proud to be part of The Sir John Brunner Foundation—a strong, values-led family of high-performing schools. This gives your child the advantages of shared expertise, proven approaches that raise standards, and clear progression links to Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College. Behind the scenes, specialist teams in finance, HR, IT and estates provide stability and improved facilities—so school leaders can focus on what matters most: your child’s learning, support and success.

Academic outcomes, which includes a combination of our mainstream and Resource Provision (RP) children, show the impact of this work. Recent data summaries indicate that pupils make progress in line with and above national expectations, with a positive Progress 8 score demonstrating that pupils achieve well from their starting points.  Our headline results include all SEND pupils and those in our RP and at times mask consistently strong achievement at the top of GCSE grading compared with other schools.  Through their years with us, your child will have the opportunity to partake in weekly enrichment activities, residentials, Duke of Edinburgh and leadership development, leading to a happy, rounded and ambitious young person. 

For parents, this means a school defined by high expectations, strong teaching and a relentless commitment to academic success, while developing the whole child to flourish socially, emotionally and intellectually.

We look forward to welcoming you to our wonderful school community.

Yours,

Mr Mat Galvin (Fellow, Charted College of Teaching)