Archers Brook SEMH School, Ellesmere Port
Archers Brook SEMH School is a special school for pupils aged 9 to 16 in Ellesmere Port. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Archers Brook SEMH School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Archers Brook SEMH School are Hinderton School (0.6 miles, Outstanding); The Greenhouse HyFlex Academy (1.3 miles); Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College (4.1 miles, Good); and Maple Grove School (5.4 miles).
Hinderton SchoolThe Greenhouse HyFlex AcademyDorin Park School & Specialist SEN CollegeMaple Grove School
Where pupils go next
Of the 18 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 61% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 61% to a further education college.
Who goes there
63.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0.8% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Archers Brook SEMH School has an education, health and care plan (118 of 118 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Archers Brook SEMH School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Capenhurst Rail Station, about 1020 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Capenhurst Grange School (bay 1), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Archers Brook SEMH 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 122 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, vehicle crime 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.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Archers Brook SEMH School issued 36 suspensions, 36.4 for every 100 pupils, and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from March 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school excels at helping pupils who have had disrupted school experiences feel accepted and re-engage with learning. Staff know pupils exceptionally well and provide tailored support that helps them develop resilience, improve their behaviour and achieve well from their starting points. Pupils also benefit from a wide range of enriching activities and high-quality careers guidance that prepares them well for their futures.
Key Strengths
- Warm, positive relationships between staff and pupils that help them feel happy and thrive
- Highly individualised support programmes tailored to each pupil's needs and EHC plans
- Strong focus on reading with trained staff delivering phonics to weaker readers
- Excellent careers guidance resulting in all pupils progressing to education, employment or training
- Wide range of enriching activities including sports, outdoor pursuits and community volunteering
Areas for Improvement
- Reading curriculum not yet fully embedded or implemented consistently across the school
- Subject-specific vocabulary development not applied consistently across the curriculum
- Some reading initiatives are relatively new and not yet fully embedded
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong leadership creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Walking in local parks, camping, kayaking, mountain biking, archery, football, netball, Duke of Edinburgh's Award, charity fundraising, volunteering, art gallery and museum visits, competitions and trips
Archers Brook SEMH School is a special school for pupils aged 9-16 with social, emotional and mental health needs. The school has a strong, nurturing ethos where pupils with disrupted educational backgrounds thrive through individualised support and high expectations.
At a Glance
63.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 0% to 30% (2024 to 2025), while writing has improved from 0% to 30% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Archers Brook SEMH School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Archers Brook SEMH School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Archers Brook SEMH 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
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
4 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
115%
Over capacity
118 pupils
103 places
15 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Ellesmere Port
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ellesmere Port
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(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
118
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Archers Brook SEMH School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
118
Total Pupils
87
Boys
31
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
6.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,259
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
16.1%
Overall absence
44.3%
Persistent absence
97
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Archers Brook SEMH School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Archers Brook SEMH School
What are GCSE results like at Archers Brook SEMH School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Archers Brook SEMH School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 11.2. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Archers Brook SEMH School's Ofsted rating?
Archers Brook SEMH School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Archers Brook SEMH School?
No fixed boundary. When Archers Brook SEMH 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 Archers Brook SEMH School?
Archers Brook SEMH School has around 118 pupils on roll. 64% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Archers Brook SEMH School have specialist SEN provision?
Archers Brook SEMH School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at Archers Brook SEMH School?
16.1% of sessions were missed at Archers Brook SEMH School in 2024/25. 44.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Archers Brook SEMH School?
Apply through Cheshire West and Chester's coordinated admissions process, naming Archers Brook SEMH 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 Archers Brook SEMH School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 4 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 Archers Brook SEMH School?
Archers Brook SEMH School is at Chester Road, Great Sutton, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH66 2NA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)