Best Schools in Cheshire

How many schools are there in Cheshire?

Cheshire has 729 open schools: 521 state primary, 98 state secondary or all-through, 27 independent, 62 special and 21 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Cheshire are rated Outstanding?

90 schools in Cheshire were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Royal College Manchester (Seashell Trust), Ladybrook Primary School, Gatley Primary School, Boughton Heath Academy, Wistaston Academy and 85 more. Counting Good as well, 92% of the 571 graded schools here are rated Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

Royal College Manchester (Seashell Trust)Ladybrook Primary SchoolGatley Primary SchoolBoughton Heath AcademyWistaston Academy

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Cheshire get the best GCSE results?

Of the 105 schools in Cheshire with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at Altrincham Grammar School for Boys (selective grammar), with an Attainment 8 score of 79.1 and 100% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; Altrincham Grammar School for Girls (selective grammar), with an Attainment 8 score of 77.8 and 98% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Sale Grammar School (selective grammar), with an Attainment 8 score of 75.5 and 100% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Selective schools admit by ability, so their raw results are not a like-for-like comparison with comprehensives. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

Altrincham Grammar School for BoysAltrincham Grammar School for GirlsSale Grammar School

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Cheshire have the best SATs results?

3 of the 453 primary schools in Cheshire with 2025 Key Stage 2 results had every pupil reach the expected standard in both reading and maths: Antrobus St Mark's CofE Primary School, Delamere CofE Primary Academy and St Martin's Academy Chester. Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

Antrobus St Mark's CofE Primary SchoolDelamere CofE Primary AcademySt Martin's Academy Chester

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Cheshire?

Yes. Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Loreto Grammar School, Saint Ambrose College and Sale Grammar School are state grammar schools in Cheshire. Grammar schools admit pupils by ability through an entrance test, usually sat at the start of Year 6.

Altrincham Grammar School for BoysAltrincham Grammar School for GirlsLoreto Grammar SchoolSaint Ambrose CollegeSale Grammar School

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

How close do you need to live to get into schools in Cheshire?

It depends on the school, and the cut-off moves every year with the number of applications. Trafford and Staffordshire published how far the last place offered went at these schools: Elmridge Primary School, 2.883 miles for 2025 entry; Madeley High School, 3.816 miles for 2025 entry; Brooklands Primary School, 1.566 miles for 2023 entry; Cloverlea Primary School, 1.546 miles for 2023 entry. These are the authority's own figures, not fixed boundaries.

Elmridge Primary SchoolMadeley High SchoolBrooklands Primary SchoolCloverlea Primary School

Source: Trafford admissions booklets

How do I apply for a school place in Cheshire?

Apply to your council - Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East or Stockport, depending on your address - through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts. Independent schools run their own admissions, so apply to those directly.