Cheam School, Thatcham
Cheam School is an independent school for pupils aged 2 to 13 in Thatcham. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in February 2026.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Cheam School in detail
Cheam School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "At Cheam, there is something you feel the moment you walk through the gates - a sense of purpose, warmth and a community where children are known, supported and inspired to flourish. Set within 100 acres on the Berkshire/Hampshire border, Cheam offers a seamless Pupil Pathway from Nursery to Year 8, where confidence, curiosity and character grow alongside academic ambition."
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 13 March 2027 and an open day on Friday 14 May 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Hampshire
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Cheam School are St Gabriel's School (3 miles); St Michael's School (3.2 miles, Good); Horris Hill School (3.4 miles); and Grantham Farm Montessori School (3.5 miles, Outstanding).
St Gabriel's SchoolSt Michael's SchoolHorris Hill SchoolGrantham Farm Montessori School
Who goes there
In 2026, 96 pupils (29.9%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Thatcham Rail Station, about 2.9 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Galley Lane (n-bound), 250 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Hampshire (72).
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 GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
3 February 2026
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
24 January 2023
Regulatory Compliance
7 November 2018
Integrated
10 November 2015
About
Cheam School is a co-educational preparatory school located in Headley, in the civil parish of Ashford Hill with Headley in Hampshire. Originally a boys school, Cheam was founded in 1645 by George Aldrich.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Fees for 2026/27
Day fees, per year
£16,860 to £33,165
depending on year group
| Reception | £16,860 a year |
| Year 1 | £16,860 a year |
| Year 2 | £16,860 a year |
| Year 3 | £27,270 a year |
| Year 4 | £31,725 a year |
| Year 5 | £31,725 a year |
| Year 6 | £33,165 a year |
| Year 7 | £33,165 a year |
| Year 8 | £33,165 a year |
Including VAT. From the school's own fee schedule; check with the school before you rely on it.
Private school fees in Thatcham - 3 schools' published fees side by side
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby independent schools
Latest from Cheam School
Boarders’ Glo-Golf Trip
2 Oct 2026
U11 IAPS Regional Hockey Qualifiers
30 Sep 2026
Pre-Prep | Pet Service 2026
25 Sep 2026
Year 2 Football Festival 2026
23 Sep 2026
Boarders’ Bowling Trip
18 Sep 2026
Cheam | Outside the Classroom
18 Sep 2026
From Cheam School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Cheam School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 3 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 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
78%
Available places
321 pupils
411 places
90 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Thatcham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Thatcham
Across Hampshire council
Places available
15,392
Applications
13,874
Got 1st preference
90.1%
Got preferred school
97.6%
All secondary applications across Hampshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
96
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
29.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
321
Total Pupils
186
Boys
135
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Cheam School
When was Cheam School last inspected?
Cheam School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in February 2026.
How many pupils go to Cheam School?
Cheam School has around 321 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Cheam School?
Cheam School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Cheam School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 3 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Cheam School?
Cheam School is at Headley, Thatcham, Thatcham, RG19 8LD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)