Ancora House School, Chester
Ancora House School is a pru school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in Chester. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2023.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Ancora House School in detail
Who goes there
10.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 5 pupils (26.3%) received SEN support and 14 (73.7%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bache Rail Station, about 580 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Main Entrance (outside), 230 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Ancora House School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 137 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cheshire West and Chester (71), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its May 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Sixth form.
At a Glance
10.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Keep up with Ancora House School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Ancora House School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Ancora House School is in Cheshire West and Chester; for families living there:
Apply to Cheshire West and Chester for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 21
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 14 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
5 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Cheshire West and Chester is 7 (the median across 184 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
63%
Available places
19 pupils
30 places
11 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Chester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Chester
Across Cheshire West and Chester council
Places available
4,194
Applications
3,482
Got 1st preference
95.0%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All secondary applications across Cheshire West and Chester council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
5
SEN Support
14
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
19
Total Pupils
3
Boys
16
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
1.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£56,835
Mean salary
2026 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Ancora House School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Ancora House School
What is Ancora House School's Ofsted rating?
Ancora House School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2023.
What is the catchment area for Ancora House School?
No fixed boundary. When Ancora House School is oversubscribed, Cheshire West and Chester allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Ancora House School?
Ancora House School has around 19 pupils on roll. 11% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Ancora House School?
Apply through Cheshire West and Chester's coordinated admissions process, naming Ancora House School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Ancora House School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 14 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 5 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Cheshire West and Chester is 7 (the median across 184 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Ancora House School?
Ancora House School is at Countess of Chester Health Park, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1BQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)