Chessington School

About Chessington School

Chessington School was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024, with every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management — all landing at the same grade. That consistency is worth noting, but the most telling academic metric is its Progress 8 score of 0.15, which means pupils leave Year 11 with outcomes slightly above the national average. In a local authority where the average Progress 8 is 0.66, Chessington sits below that benchmark, and it ranks 10th out of 10 secondary schools in Kingston upon Thames on this measure. Still, the score is positive, and the school’s Attainment 8 figure of 43.2 shows a solid baseline. The proportion of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs is 45.8%, while 64.5% hit grade 4 or above. Around a quarter of pupils entered the EBacc, and 15% achieved it at grade 5 or higher.

Digging into the Progress 8 breakdown, the school’s strongest subject area is maths, with a score of 0.3, meaning pupils make notably more progress here than the national average. English progress is close to average at 0.09, while the EBacc subjects collectively sit at 0.18. The open element — other GCSEs not in the EBacc — is essentially flat at 0.04. The school’s EBacc average point score is 3.91, which gives a sense of the depth of study across those core academic subjects. With 53.3% of pupils entering the EBacc, there’s a clear push towards a broad curriculum, though the gap between entry and achievement at grade 5 suggests some pupils may find the full suite challenging. Nationally, Chessington ranks in the 38th percentile for Progress 8, placing it in the middle of the pack. In London it sits around the 64th percentile, which is a more respectable position given the capital’s generally high performance.

Chessington School is a non-selective, mixed secondary for ages 11 to 16, with no sixth form. It has 676 pupils against a capacity of 750, and it is oversubscribed: for 142 places in 2025/26, there were 353 applications, with 97 first-preference offers. That works out at 2.49 applications per place, so competition is real. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 29.5%, well above the national average, and the school lists SEND provisions for dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Facilities include science labs, art studios, music rooms, a sports hall, astro turf, and a library. Clubs range from debate and orchestra to eco club and gardening, while sports on offer include cricket, hockey, rugby, and martial arts. For families who want a Good-rated comprehensive with a positive but not exceptional Progress 8 score, and who value a broad curriculum with decent maths outcomes, Chessington is a solid local option — though those seeking the highest academic performance in Kingston may need to look at the outstanding schools a couple of miles away.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Chessington School

Helpful Guides for Parents