Schools in Cheshire West and Chester

144 schools with published admissions figures

The newest figures for each school. "1st prefs per place" is how many families put the school first, for each place it gave out. It measures demand, not whether a child would get a place. A dash means the figure is not available.

How the 2026 round went in Cheshire West and Chester

Primary

Offered their first choice 92.3%
Of families applying for a primary place for September 2026. Against 90.6% in 2016.
Offered one of their three 98.5%
Families offered any of the schools they named.
Families who applied 3,274
Applications received for a primary place. A family naming three schools counts once.

For September 2026, 92.3% of families applying for a primary place here were offered their first choice, and 98.5% were offered one of the three schools they named.

That is 1.7 points higher than in 2016, when it was 90.6%.

The council's primary schools between them had 4,260 places for 3,274 applications. That is a total for the whole council and says nothing about any one school in it.

Secondary

Offered their first choice 95.0%
Of families applying for a secondary place for September 2026. Against 90.4% in 2016.
Offered one of their three 98.9%
Families offered any of the schools they named.
Families who applied 3,482
Applications received for a secondary place. A family naming three schools counts once.

For September 2026, 95.0% of families applying for a secondary place here were offered their first choice, and 98.9% were offered one of the three schools they named.

That is 4.7 points higher than in 2016, when it was 90.4%.

The council's secondary schools between them had 4,194 places for 3,482 applications. That is a total for the whole council and says nothing about any one school in it.

Source: Department for Education, applications and offers. The same round across England.

If a family is refused a place

In 2026, families in Cheshire West and Chester lodged 101 appeals about a school place.

71 of them were heard by a panel and 11 succeeded, which is about 15 in every 100 heard.

The other 30 did not reach a panel. Most appeals that do not are withdrawn because a place comes up first.

This is a record of decisions already made. A panel hears one case at a time and decides it on what that family sets out, so these figures do not indicate what would happen in any particular appeal.

Source: Department for Education, admission appeals in England, reporting year 2026. Counts every school in this council area. The share that succeeded is taken over appeals heard by a panel, not over appeals lodged.

Secondary

School	1st prefs per place	Demand since	Latest Ofsted
Bishop Heber High School Malpas	1.02	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Blacon High School, A Specialist Sports College Chester	0.95	-	Needs attention Ofsted report card (current framework)
Christleton High School Chester	0.98	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy Ellesmere Port	0.95	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
Ellesmere Port Church of England College Ellesmere Port	0.96	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Hartford Church of England High School Northwich	1.02	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Helsby High School Frodsham	0.95	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection
Neston High School Neston	0.97	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection
Queen's Park High School Chester	0.97	-	Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
St Nicholas Catholic High School Northwich	0.90	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College Tarporley	0.96	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School Chester	1.08	-	Standards maintained Ofsted ungraded inspection
The Catholic High School, Chester Chester	0.97	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
The County High School, Leftwich Northwich	1.10	-	Strong standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
The Rudheath Senior Academy Northwich	0.93	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection
The Whitby High School Ellesmere Port	0.94	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
The Winsford Academy Winsford	0.82	-	Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Upton-by-Chester High School Chester	0.97	-	Standards maintained Ofsted ungraded inspection
Weaverham High School Northwich	1.00	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)

Elsewhere

Most sought-after schools in Cheshire West and Chester by first preferences per place
Schools in CH1 (11)
Schools in CH2 (10)
Schools in CH3 (17)
Schools in CH4 (8)
Schools in CH64 (7)
Schools in CH65 (12)
Schools in CH66 (12)
Schools in CW10 (6)
Schools in CW6 (8)
Schools in CW7 (11)
Schools in CW8 (17)
Schools in CW9 (14)
Schools in SY13 (7)
Schools in SY14 (4)
Schools in WA16 (8)
Schools in WA4 (20)
Schools in WA6 (10)
Schools in WA7 (34)
What data we hold