St Clare's Catholic Primary School, Chester
St Clare's Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Chester. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 26th-highest of the 34 schools in Chester with published results, and 9,595th of 14,452 across England. It was 93% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Cheshire West and Chester (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Clare's Catholic Primary School in detail
St Clare's Catholic Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "At St Clare's we aim for all our children to leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. We have a duty to 'actively promote' the fundamental British Values of: In-order to help prepare them to be valued members of our society."
The school runs after-school care until 4:30pm.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils at St Clare's Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 63% 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 75% in reading and 57% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Clare's Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 13 families put St Clare's Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 20 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Clare's Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Clare's Catholic Primary School are Lache Primary School (under 0.1 miles); Saltney Wood Memorial C.P. School (0.4 miles); Belgrave Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 90% reading, 97% maths); and St Anthony's R.C. Primary School (0.6 miles).
Lache Primary SchoolSaltney Wood Memorial C.P. SchoolBelgrave Primary SchoolSt Anthony's R.C. Primary School
What parents say
24 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Clare's Catholic Primary School (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 92% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (88%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 43 pupils (26.4%) received SEN support and 8 (4.9%) 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 Chester Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Shops (outside), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Clare's Catholic 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 110 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and vehicle crime. 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, St Clare's Catholic Primary School issued 4 suspensions, 2.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Clare's Catholic Primary School are The Catholic High School, Chester (0.9 miles); Tute Education Ltd (1.2 miles); Queen's Park High School (1.4 miles); and Chester International School (1.5 miles).
The Catholic High School, ChesterTute Education LtdQueen's Park High SchoolChester International School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Clare's creates a caring, welcoming environment where all pupils feel valued and supported. The school has excellent behaviour standards and high academic expectations, with a strong emphasis on early reading that helps children become fluent readers. Pupils benefit from a rich curriculum with plenty of outdoor learning, trips, and sporting opportunities that build their confidence and resilience.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on early reading with effective phonics programme from Reception onwards
- Well-planned curriculum with clear key knowledge mapped across subjects
- Pupils show excellent behaviour and are kind, respectful and accepting of differences
- Wide range of sports and leadership opportunities where pupils achieve success
- Effective support for pupils with SEND who learn well alongside their peers
Areas for Improvement
- In some subjects, staff explanations of new knowledge could be clearer and learning activities better designed to help pupils remember what they learn
- Some pupils, including in early years, are not learning all they should in these areas
- Staff need further training to support long-term memory and secure learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Football, rugby, hockey, gymnastics, school council, sports ambassadors, play leaders, outdoor wooded area activities, residential trips, breakfast club, after-school provision
St Clare's Catholic Primary School has maintained good standards since its previous inspection. Pupils are proud of their school, behave very well, and work hard to achieve their academic potential.
At a Glance
33.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
24 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 75% to 81% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 57% to 63% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 61% to 53% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.8
Avg class size
21.5
Infant (KS1)
25.0
KS2
6
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Clare's Catholic Primary School
Term dates
St Clare's Catholic Primary School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Cheshire West and Chester's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Clare's Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Clare's Catholic 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
- 2
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.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
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
Your chances of a place at St Clare's Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at St Clare's Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Clare's Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Clare's Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Clare's Catholic Primary School.
- Cheshire West and Chester publishes last distance offered figures, but none for St Clare's Catholic Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Clare's Catholic Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Cheshire West and Chester got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
93%
Near capacity
175 pupils
189 places
14 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
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
4,260
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
43
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
31.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
163
Total Pupils
81
Boys
82
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
16.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,486
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,283
Per pupil
£1213k
Total funding
£91k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.0%
Overall absence
14.9%
Persistent absence
154
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
St Clare's Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Clare's Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Clare's Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Clare's Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 81% reached the expected standard in reading and 63% did so in maths.
What is St Clare's Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Clare's Catholic Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Clare's Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Clare's Catholic Primary School is oversubscribed, Cheshire West and Chester allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Clare's Catholic Primary School?
St Clare's Catholic Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 189 places.
How big are the classes at St Clare's Catholic Primary School?
Classes at St Clare's Catholic Primary School average 23.8 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Clare's Catholic Primary School?
St Clare's Catholic Primary School has around 163 pupils on roll. 33% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Clare's Catholic Primary School?
7% of sessions were missed at St Clare's Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 14.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Clare's Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Cheshire West and Chester's coordinated admissions process, naming St Clare's Catholic Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near St Clare's Catholic 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. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 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 St Clare's Catholic Primary School?
St Clare's Catholic Primary School is at Hawthorn Road, Lache, Chester, Cheshire, CH4 8HX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)