Dee Banks School, Chester
Dee Banks School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Chester. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2016. That was 9 years ago, so the rating may not reflect the school today.
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Dee Banks School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Dee Banks School are Maple Grove School (1.2 miles); Abbey School for Exceptional Children (1.2 miles, Good); Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College (2.3 miles, Good); and iMap Centre (4.1 miles, Good, selective).
Maple Grove SchoolAbbey School for Exceptional ChildrenDorin Park School & Specialist SEN CollegeiMap Centre
Where pupils go next
Of the 7 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
47.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 11.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (81%) and other ethnic groups (5%).
Almost every pupil at Dee Banks School has an education, health and care plan (141 of 141 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Dee Banks School provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chester Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Keristal Avenue (opposite), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Dee Banks 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 186 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. 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
Dee Banks School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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 · 4 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: not met
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2016 inspection - down from Outstanding.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
47.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism, SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2023/24KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2023/24 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Dee Banks School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Dee Banks School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Dee Banks 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
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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 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
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(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
141
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Dee Banks School provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
141
Total Pupils
102
Boys
39
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
27
Teachers
5.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,837
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
12.9%
Overall absence
37.8%
Persistent absence
111
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
Dee Banks School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Dee Banks School
What are SATs results like at Dee Banks School?
Of the pupils at Dee Banks School who took the 2024 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Dee Banks School's Ofsted rating?
Dee Banks School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Dee Banks School?
No fixed boundary. When Dee Banks 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 Dee Banks School?
Dee Banks School has around 141 pupils on roll. 48% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Dee Banks School have specialist SEN provision?
Dee Banks School provides for pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Dee Banks School?
12.9% of sessions were missed at Dee Banks School in 2024/25. 37.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Dee Banks School?
Apply through Cheshire West and Chester's coordinated admissions process, naming Dee Banks 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 Dee Banks School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Cheshire West and Chester is 7 (the median across 184 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Dee Banks School?
Dee Banks School is at Dee Banks, Sandy Lane, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 5UX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)