Maple Grove School, Chester
Maple Grove School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 18 in Chester.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Maple Grove School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Maple Grove School are Abbey School for Exceptional Children (1.1 miles, Good); Dee Banks School (1.2 miles, Good); Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College (1.3 miles, Good); and iMap Centre (3.5 miles, Good, selective).
Abbey School for Exceptional ChildrenDee Banks SchoolDorin Park School & Specialist SEN CollegeiMap Centre
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Maple Grove School has an education, health and care plan (50 of 50 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chester Rail Station, about 880 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Canadian Avenue (cnr), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 274 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour 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 · 2 years agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Maple Grove creates a warm, nurturing environment where pupils with SEND are genuinely happy and make significant personal progress. Staff combine clinical expertise with teaching to understand each child's needs and provide tailored support. The school has ambitious expectations for every pupil and offers a rich range of activities - from sports and animal care to international trips and Duke of Edinburgh Awards - that develop independence and prepare students excellently for their next steps.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional pastoral and clinical support helping pupils manage emotions and feel safe -
- Personalised curriculum matched to each pupil's needs with well-sequenced pathways -
- Outstanding pupil behaviour and respect for school routines -
- Excellent communication programme including British Sign Language -
- Outstanding post-16 provision preparing students well for their future steps
Areas for Improvement
- Some teachers lack subject-specific guidance which weakens curriculum delivery in certain areas -
- Reading books do not always match pupils' phonics ability, limiting their progress to fluency
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with suitable policies meeting statutory guidance and strong compliance with the Equality Act 2010.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports clubs, bike riding, Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, Friday enrichment programme, tennis, bicycle maintenance, music lessons, trips to Belfast and local colleges
Maple Grove School is a special school for pupils aged 5-18 with SEND, where pupils thrive in a nurturing setting with high expectations and ambitious personalised learning. The school is rated Good overall with Outstanding behaviour, attitudes, and sixth-form provision.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Maple Grove School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 3
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, 0 serious and 6 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on a bicycle.
3 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
98%
Near capacity
50 pupils
51 places
1 spare place
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.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
50
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Maple Grove School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
50
Total Pupils
37
Boys
13
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Maple Grove School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Maple Grove School
How many pupils go to Maple Grove School?
Maple Grove School has around 50 pupils on roll.
Does Maple Grove School have specialist SEN provision?
Maple Grove School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Maple Grove School?
Maple Grove 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 Maple Grove 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, 0 serious and 6 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on a bicycle. 3 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 Maple Grove School?
Maple Grove School is at Clare Avenue, Chester, Chester, CH2 3HR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)