Horn's Mill Primary School, Frodsham
Horn's Mill Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Frodsham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 10 schools in Frodsham with published results, and 4,824th of 14,452 across England. It was 95% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 75 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Cheshire West and Chester (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
Horn's Mill Primary School in detail
Horn's Mill Primary School in its own words
The school runs after-school care.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils at Horn's Mill Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 84% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 74% in Cheshire West and Chester and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 79% in reading and 79% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Horn's Mill Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 30 families put Horn's Mill Primary School as their first choice and 59 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Horn's Mill Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Horn's Mill Primary School are Alvanley and Manley Village School (0.8 miles, Good, 75% reading, 50% maths); Helsby Hillside Primary School (1.3 miles, Good, 86% reading, 79% maths); Elton Primary School (1.9 miles, Good, 87% reading, 87% maths); and Frodsham CofE Primary School (3 miles, Good, 80% reading, 87% maths).
Horn's Mill Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Alvanley and Manley Village SchoolHelsby Hillside Primary SchoolElton Primary SchoolFrodsham CofE Primary School
Who goes there
16.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 44 pupils (22.1%) received SEN support and 13 (6.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Helsby Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Three Ways Garage (opposite), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Horn's Mill Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 11 crimes within a mile of the school, most often other theft, shoplifting and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cheshire West and Chester (71).
Suspensions and exclusions
Horn's Mill Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
The school is highly ambitious for the achievement of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The academic, personal, social and emotional support that the school provides contributes strongly to how well pupils achieve.
Pupils enjoy coming to school. They described it as a big family. There are strong relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils are polite and well mannered. They speak confidently and articulately with visitors. Pupils are proud of the positive contribution that they make to their school and to the wider community. For example, they enjoy litter picking at the local park, in partnership with the parish council.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Children get off to a flying start in the Reception class. The provision for children's development in the early years is exceptional. Staff know children well and establish excellent routines that support children's learning very well. The curriculum is highly ambitious and designed to engage children, who are inspired to learn and focus well. Children use their mathematical and phonics knowledge confidently and fluently. They relish talking about and explaining the work that they are doing. They are very well prepared for their move into key stage 1. The school builds highly positive relationships with parents and carers from the start of the children's learning journey.
The school has designed an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of the diverse school population. The governing body has effective systems to support and challenge the school to further improve the quality of education that pupils receive.
From Ofsted's March 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Early years.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
16.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 80% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 79% to 84% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 64% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.4
Avg class size
27.7
Infant (KS1)
29.0
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Horn's Mill Primary School
Nurseries
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to Horn's Mill Primary School, with their latest published grades:
- Horn's Mill Pre-School CIO - Day nursery, under 0.1 milesOfsted, 14 March 2024: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
- Dunkys Day Nursery & Forest School Hapsford Hall - Day nursery, 0.6 milesOfsted, 11 October 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- KiddiCove Day Nursery Limited - Day nursery, 1.6 milesOfsted report card, 23 July 2026: Strong standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
- Thrive Frodsham Hill - Day nursery, 1.8 milesOfsted, 31 May 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Manley and Mouldsworth Pre-School Playgroup - Pre-school, 2.0 milesOfsted, 28 April 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Term dates
Horn's Mill Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Cheshire West and Chester. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Horn's Mill Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Horn's Mill Primary 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
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 7 slight.
The typical figure for schools in Cheshire West and Chester is 7 (the median across 184 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Horn's Mill Primary School
Will you get a place at Horn's Mill Primary School?
For 2026 entry it had 30 first choices for 30 places. The report sets your home postcode against these figures.
£9.99 once (inc. VAT; £19.99 for up to three schools), or Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time. What's in the report
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
95%
Near capacity
200 pupils
210 places
10 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Across Cheshire West and Chester council
Places available
4,260
Applications
3,274
Got 1st preference
92.3%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All primary applications across Cheshire West and Chester council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Future places in the local planning area
DfE estimates the Helsby Primary planning area (Cheshire West and Chester) will need 16 more primary places than it is due to have in 2027/28.
Source: Department for Education, School capacity: Academic year 2024/25 (published 19 March 2026), estimates of future school place demand by planning area. Council pupil forecasts against reported places, counting places councils and DfE plan to add or remove; rounded to whole places. Explore Education Statistics
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
44
SEN Support
13
EHC Plans
28.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
199
Total Pupils
107
Boys
92
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
16.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,450
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,510
Per pupil
£1271k
Total funding
£55k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.1%
Overall absence
19.8%
Persistent absence
182
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Horn's Mill Primary School
Questions parents ask about Horn's Mill Primary School
What are SATs results like at Horn's Mill Primary School?
Of the pupils at Horn's Mill Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 80% reached the expected standard in reading and 84% did so in maths.
What is Horn's Mill Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Horn's Mill Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024.
Is it hard to get a place at Horn's Mill Primary School?
Horn's Mill Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Horn's Mill Primary School?
Classes at Horn's Mill Primary School average 28.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Horn's Mill Primary School?
Horn's Mill Primary School has around 199 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Horn's Mill Primary School?
8.1% of sessions were missed at Horn's Mill Primary School in 2024/25. 19.8% of pupils were persistently absent.
What are Horn's Mill Primary School's term dates?
Horn's Mill Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Cheshire West and Chester. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Horn's Mill Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 7 slight. The typical figure for schools in Cheshire West and Chester is 7 (the median across 184 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Horn's Mill Primary School?
Horn's Mill Primary School is at Denbigh Close, Helsby, Frodsham, Cheshire, WA6 0ED.
Sources: Cheshire West and Chester term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)