The Kingsway School
82%
Capacity
1,292
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About The Kingsway School
The Kingsway School is a popular choice among Stockport families, with 514 applications for 301 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.71. That means nearly two families applied for every available spot, though only 115 of those 514 applicants listed it as their first preference. The school doesn't publish a parent recommendation percentage, so we can't gauge satisfaction that way, but the high overall demand suggests it remains a significant local option. Headteacher Anna Fowler leads a mixed 11-16 secondary with 1,292 pupils, operating at about 82% of its 1,570 capacity. The school serves a community where 22.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, above the national average, and it offers a broad range of SEND provisions including support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social and emotional mental health.
Academically, the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Requires Improvement across all categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This was a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2020. In the 2023/24 exam results, pupils achieved a Progress 8 score of -0.26, which is below average nationally and well below the Stockport local authority average of +0.07. The school ranks 10th out of 13 similar schools in Stockport on this measure, placing it in the bottom half of the local authority. Attainment 8 stood at 45, and 65.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though only 42% reached the stronger grade 5 benchmark. The EBacc average point score was 4.04, with 44.8% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a swimming pool, gymnasium, science labs, art studios, and a library, plus a Sixth Form Centre despite not having a formal sixth form. Sports provision is strong with rowing, swimming, tennis, netball, athletics, football, rugby, and dance, while extracurricular clubs cover chess, debate, drama, orchestra, gardening, and more. The school has a chapel on site, reflecting its historical roots, though it has no religious character. For families considering The Kingsway School, the key trade-off is between its high local demand and its current Requires Improvement rating. It may suit parents who value the broad SEND support and wide extracurricular offer, but those prioritising academic outcomes might look to nearby alternatives like Laurus Cheadle Hulme, which is rated Outstanding and sits just 1.6 km away.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Foxland Road, Cheadle, Stockport, SK8 4QX |
| Headteacher | Anna Fowler |
| Local Authority | Stockport |
| Number of Pupils | 1,292 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 22.4% |
| School Capacity | 1,292 / 1,570 (82% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
23 May 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Source: Ofsted, 18 Jul 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.26)
2150th of 3,141
Nationally
265th of 445
In North West
10th of 13
In Stockport
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/233%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 308 pupils).
- FE college44%
- Sixth form college42%
- Not sustained6%
- School sixth form (stay)3%
- Employment3%
- Apprenticeship2%
94% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed301
514
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
117 families put this school as their 1st choice (23% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British61.1%
- Asian19.2%
- Mixed7.3%
- White (other)2.5%
- Black0.5%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
8
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
7
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Kingsway School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Foxland Road, Cheadle
Stockport, SK8 4QX
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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