Classpot

Upton-by-Chester High School

Cheshire West and Chester, CH2 1NNSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Feb 2025
Progress 8
+0.36
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
281 1st-choice / 281 places
Ranking
🏆Top 25%
#729 of 3,141 nationally

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.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressSt James Avenue, Chester, Cheshire West and Chester, CH2 1NN
HeadteacherLee Cummins
Local AuthorityCheshire West and Chester
Number of Pupils1,752
Free School Meals (FSM)16.7%
School Capacity1,752 / 1,670 (105% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

What 229 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, 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
See an example
One-off paymentNo subscriptionStripe checkout

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

5 Feb 2025
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Outstanding

Latest monitoring visit (5 Feb 2025): Standards maintained

Source: Ofsted, 16 Jun 2015. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

7
Sixth Form CentrePlaying FieldsMusic RoomsSwimming PoolAstro TurfArt StudiosSports Hall

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

16

Sports

SwimmingDanceRowingTennisGymnasticsFootballAthletics

Clubs & Activities

DebateNewspaperYoung EnterpriseDramaArt ClubModel United NationsChoirGardeningDuke of Edinburgh

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

08:35 – 15:10

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

Was this page helpful?

Frequently Asked Questions About Upton-by-Chester High School

Upton-by-Chester 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.