The Kingsway School, Cheadle

Ofsted's report card from its 24 February 2026 inspection grades The Kingsway School on 6 areas: 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), progress steadily through the curriculum in key stages 3 and 4."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Attendance has been prioritised."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Since the previous inspection, changes have been made to the range of academic and vocational subjects offered at key stage 4."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders foster an inclusive culture and prioritise support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged pupils and those known to children's social care."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Since the last inspection, trust and school leaders have acted decisively to reset the culture and ethos of the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders' actions have created a culture where personal development sits at the heart of the school's work."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff design activities that help pupils to develop sufficient depth of knowledge and understanding in their learning"; "Leaders should ensure that staff make effective use of the information that they have about the gaps that some pupils have in their knowledge and understanding to ensure that pupils achieve as well as they should".

In its own words: "At The Kingsway School we strongly encourage our students to embrace and make the most of every opportunity; in lessons, outside of lessons and in the wider community. We provide a curriculum which is engaging and challenging and with expert teaching ensure that all students make maximum progress."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am delighted that you are thinking about your child becoming part of our school community. At The Kingsway School, we are committed to providing an education that allows your child to be ambitious for their future, articulate about their learning and that helps them to achieve to the best of their potential."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include dance, drama and STEM.

In 2026, pupils at The Kingsway School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 49.1 in Stockport and 47 across England.

49% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 51% in Stockport and 47% in England.

That is up from 46.5 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.26: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 37.6, against 52.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 14.6 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 27 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 121 families put The Kingsway School as their first choice and 412 named it as one of their preferences, for 268 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Kingsway School are Laurus Cheadle Hulme (1 mile, Outstanding, Attainment 8 58.2); Parrs Wood High School (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.7); Manchester Enterprise Academy (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 33); and Stockport Academy (2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 52.5).

The Kingsway School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

The Kingsway School is one of 5 schools run by Education Learning Trust, an academy trust.

163 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Kingsway School (as of April 2026): 73% would recommend the school, 74% say their child is happy there and 63% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (77%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (63%).

Of the 250 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 84% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 42% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

The Kingsway School has a resourced provision for severe learning difficulties: 28 places, 28 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Gatley Rail Station, about 640 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Broadway (opposite), 130 metres away.

In 2024/25, The Kingsway School issued 252 suspensions, 19.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 11 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Kingsway School are Lum Head Primary School (0.4 miles), Gatley Primary School (0.5 miles), North Cheshire Jewish Primary School (0.5 miles) and Cheadle Village Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.