Upton-by-Chester High School
105%
Capacity
1,752
Pupils
2.3x
Demand
About Upton-by-Chester High School
Upton-by-Chester High School holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its most recent inspections. The most telling academic metric is its Progress 8 score of 0.36, which is classified as 'Above average' nationally. This means that, on average, pupils at this large 11-18 mixed state school achieve nearly half a grade more per subject across eight GCSEs than students with similar starting points elsewhere. That score places the school third out of 19 secondary schools in the Cheshire West and Chester local authority, comfortably within the top 25% of schools nationally. The school's most recent ungraded inspection, carried out in February 2025, confirmed that standards are being maintained, and its sixth form provision was singled out as Outstanding, a notable improvement from the previous inspection.
Digging deeper into the 2023/24 exam data, the school's Attainment 8 score sits at 52.3, while the local authority average Progress 8 score is -0.06, meaning Upton-by-Chester is significantly outperforming its neighbours. The proportion of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and maths (the 'strong pass' measure) is 56.6%, and the EBacc average point score is 4.5. At A-level, the school's value-added score is 0.06, with an average points per entry of 35.63, equating to a B- grade. The sixth form is a clear strength, and the school's Progress 8 banding of 'Above average' suggests consistent, strong academic progress across the board for its 1,752 pupils.
The school is clearly popular with local families; for the 2025/26 intake, it received 641 applications for 281 places, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 2.28 applicants per place. Facilities are generous, including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, music rooms, and a dedicated Sixth Form Centre. The school offers a wide range of clubs and activities, from Debate and Model UN to DofE and Young Enterprise, and parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive, with 93% of respondents saying they would recommend the school. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists provisions for nine different categories, including Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Speech, Language & Communication needs, though it's worth noting that 19% of parents with SEND children disagreed that the school provides adequate support. This is a strong, high-performing comprehensive that suits families prioritising solid academic progress and a broad extracurricular offer.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | St James Avenue, Chester, Cheshire West and Chester, CH2 1NN |
| Headteacher | Lee Cummins |
| Local Authority | Cheshire West and Chester |
| Number of Pupils | 1,752 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 16.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,752 / 1,670 (105% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
5 Feb 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (5 Feb 2025): Standards maintained
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 16 Jun 2015. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.36)
729th of 3,141
Nationally
76th of 445
In North West
3rd of 19
In Cheshire West and Chester
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
39.3
'22/23
34.9
'23/24
35.6
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2364%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 278 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)64%
- FE college23%
- Employment4%
- Not sustained3%
- Sixth form college2%
- Apprenticeship1%
95% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2363%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 128 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
27%
Russell Group
36%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)63%
- Employment23%
- Not sustained4%
- Further education3%
- Apprenticeship3%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology61
- Mathematics40
- Sociology40
- Business Studies:Single32
- Government and Politics30
- Biology29
- Economics28
- English Literature28
- Geography27
- Media/Film/Tv Studies26
- Chemistry21
- History19
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
229 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed281
641
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
281 families put this school as their 1st choice (44% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:35 – 15:10
Source: uptonhigh.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British79.9%
- White (other)5.9%
- Asian5.5%
- Mixed5.0%
- Black0.2%
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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half 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.
7
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
6
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.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Upton-by-Chester High 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
St James Avenue, Chester
Cheshire West and Chester, CH2 1NN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Reviews on Other Platforms
External reviews are provided by third-party platforms and are not verified by Classpot.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Upton-by-Chester High School!
Write a Review