Upton Westlea Primary School, Chester

Ofsted's report card from its 27 January 2026 inspection grades Upton Westlea Primary School on 7 areas: 3 expected standard and 4 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Attendance is in line with national averages and sometimes better."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have built a supportive environment in which pupils feel included."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders provide varied opportunities both in lessons and beyond."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils do not achieve as well as they should in writing."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "There are weaknesses in the writing curriculum."

Early years - Needs attention. "The early years curriculum is not as effective as it should be."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Leaders do not have secure oversight of the curriculum across all subjects."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that the early years curriculum sets out clearly the essential knowledge and skills that children are expected to acquire so that staff have a shared understanding of what to teach and when. • Leaders should ensure that the writing curriculum is carefully structured and progressive. The curriculum should build systematically on prior learning, enabling staff to know exactly what to teach and when. • Leaders should ensure that staff develop the expertise that they need to teach spelling and handwriting effectively. This will help pupils to secure accuracy and fluency in these skills and improve their achievement in writing. • Leaders should ensure that staff swiftly identify pupils who have not yet secured the basic skills in spelling and handwriting and provide timely support to help them catch up. • Leaders should make timely and precise checks on how well the curriculum is implemented across all phases, including the early years, so that weaknesses in curriculum design, delivery and pupils' achievement are identified quickly and addressed effectively".

The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.

In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils at Upton Westlea Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 71% 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 fell from 74% in reading and 81% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 10 families put Upton Westlea Primary School as their first choice and 24 named it as one of their preferences, for 11 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 primary schools to Upton Westlea Primary School are Upton Westlea Primary School (under 0.1 miles); Mill View Primary School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 93% reading, 90% maths); Upton Heath CofE Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 76% reading, 74% maths); and Acresfield Academy (0.7 miles, Outstanding, 84% reading, 84% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Upton Westlea Primary School.

33 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Upton Westlea Primary School (as of April 2026): 91% would recommend the school, 97% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).

32.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (52%), Asian (25%) and Black (9%).

In 2026, 18 pupils (11.3%) received SEN support and 19 (11.9%) 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 autism. The school has resourced provision for pupils with particular needs.

Upton Westlea Primary School had 10 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Bache Rail Station, about 1090 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Westlea Primary (outside), 30 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 109 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cheshire West and Chester (71), as is usual near a town centre.

Upton Westlea Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.