Classpot

Hartford Church of England High School

Cheshire West and Chester, CW8 1LHSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Jun 2023
Progress 8
-0.15
Below average
−20+2
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
206 1st-choice / 222 places
Ranking
#1,885
of 3,141 nationally

About Hartford Church of England High School

Hartford Church of England High School is a mixed secondary for 11-16 year olds in Cheshire West and Chester, and it’s clearly a popular choice among local families. With 1,070 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,200, the school is running close to full, and the demand is striking: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 519 applications for 222 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.34. Of those, 206 were first-preference offers, meaning most successful families had it as their top pick. The school’s intake reflects a fairly typical level of disadvantage for the area — 17% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is slightly above the national average for secondaries but not dramatically so. As a Church of England school, it has a religious character, though the data doesn’t specify whether this affects admissions criteria. The headteacher is Rachel Pickerill, who has been leading a school that clearly commands strong local confidence.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressHartford Campus Chester Road, Northwich, Cheshire West and Chester, CW8 1LH
HeadteacherRachel Pickerill
Local AuthorityCheshire West and Chester
Number of Pupils1,070
Free School Meals (FSM)17.0%
School Capacity1,070 / 1,200 (89% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

20 Jun 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Source: Ofsted, 12 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

11
Swimming PoolTennis CourtsICT SuiteLibraryMusic RoomsSports HallPlaying FieldsScience LabsSixth Form CentreGymnasiumChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

16

Sports

DanceBasketballHockeyCross CountryNetballTennis

Clubs & Activities

Book ClubScience ClubChoirNewspaperChessDebateModel United NationsYoung EnterpriseFilm ClubGardening

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:30 – 15:00

Source: hartfordhigh.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Hartford Church of England High School

Hartford Church of England High School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.