The King's School, Chester
The King's School is an independent school for pupils aged 4 to 19 in Chester. It has a Church of England religious character. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in September 2025.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The King's School in detail
The King's School in its own words
In its own words: "The King’s School is an independent, academically selective school taking girls and boys from ages 4-18 years old and we are proud to have been educating children in Chester for 475 years. We blend our long-standing traditions with 21 st Century innovations to offer a truly outstanding education."
From the headteacher's welcome: "It is a privilege to lead a school that has been at the forefront of education in Chester for almost 500 years. Since joining King’s, what has struck me most is the combination of tremendous academic ambition with genuine warmth and a deep knowledge of individual pupils. King’s is a centre of excellence for educating academically able young people."
The school runs after-school care.
Coming up: an open evening on Tuesday 10 November 2026 at 6pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Cheshire West and Chester
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for The King's School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to The King's School are The Queen's School (1.6 miles), The Firs School (2.9 miles), Abbey Gate College (3 miles) and The Hammond (3.7 miles).
The Queen's SchoolThe Firs SchoolAbbey Gate CollegeThe Hammond
Where pupils go next
Of the 113 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 66% went on to university or other higher education, 2% to apprenticeships and 18% into work.
Who goes there
In 2026, 435 pupils (37.2%) received SEN support and 2 (0.2%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chester Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Kings School (near), 110 metres away.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
16 September 2025
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
10 May 2022
Regulatory Compliance
31 January 2018
Integrated
10 February 2015
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for The King's School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 3 nearby all-through schools
Latest from The King's School
Inspiring young writers: An author visit from Tamsin Winter
2 Oct 2026
Gallery: Grandparents’ Day
2 Oct 2026
Careers Breakfast: Stanley Moir (OKS 2018)
2 Oct 2026
Pride of place for Jacob’s Manchester United and England shirts
1 Oct 2026
Curry & Quiz Night
29 Sep 2026
Congratulations to our 2026 Entry Scholars
29 Sep 2026
From The King's School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with The King's School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
2 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
95%
Near capacity
1,170 pupils
1,230 places
60 spare places
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
435
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
37.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
1,170
Total Pupils
702
Boys
468
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about The King's School
What are GCSE results like at The King's School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for The King's School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was The King's School last inspected?
The King's School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in September 2025.
How many pupils go to The King's School?
The King's School has around 1170 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to The King's School?
The King's 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 The King's School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 2 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 The King's School?
The King's School is at Wrexham Road, Chester, Cheshire, CH4 7QL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)