iMap Centre
Unit 4a Barrowmore Estates, Barnhouse Lane, Great Barrow, Chester, CH3 7JAOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
iMap Centre is a special school in Chester for ages 7 to 19. It is one of the 181 schools in Cheshire West and Chester. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in January 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 30 January 2024, report published 26 March 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 30 January 2024
Pupils are warmly welcomed at iMap Centre. Parents and carers told inspectors that the school has made a positive difference to their children's lives. Pupils enjoy nurturing relationships with staff. This is because the staff care deeply about pupils' well-being. This helps pupils to develop a positive sense of belonging to the school community. Pupils are happy in school and know that they are in safe hands. The school has high expectations of pupils' learning. Pupils are taught by teachers who know them well. The thoughtfully designed curriculum prepares pupils, who all have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), well for the next steps in their education and on to adult life. The school expects pupils to behave well. Staff notice when pupils experience distress. They are quick to anticipate conflict and respond sensitively to pupils' emotional needs. Staff are successful in helping pupils to manage their behaviour and their emotions. Pupils enjoy the opportunities that the school offers them, to develop themselves personally and to ready themselves for adult life. For example, pupils, including students in the sixth form, learn to keep themselves healthy, go shopping and cook meals. These valuable activities equip them well for life outside school. They become increasingly confident and independent.
What the school should improve
- A few teachers lack the subject-specific knowledge and confidence to deliver the curriculum as leaders intend. This means that the delivery of the curriculum is not always adapted well enough to meet pupils' individual needs. Leaders should ensure that staff are fully equipped to implement the curriculum effectively and confidently.
- A small number of teachers do not use the information available well to meet pupils' individual needs. Additionally, they do not break pupils' learning down into small enough steps. This sometimes hinders pupils' learning. The school should ensure that teachers have a clear understanding of exactly where pupils are up to in their learning and determine appropriate, clear and manageable next steps for pupils.
Pupil numbers and mix
18 pupils on roll, with places for 20
Schools near iMap Centre
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maple Grove School | 3 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Fern House School and College | 4 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 0% met the expected standard |
| Dee Banks School | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Abbey School for Exceptional Children | 5 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
School details
- School type
- Other independent special school
- Sector
- Independent
- Age range
- 7 to 19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Admissions
- Selective
- Headteacher
- Mrs Amanda Higham
- Phone
- 01829741869
- Address
- Unit 4a Barrowmore Estates, Barnhouse Lane, Great Barrow, Chester, CH3 7JA
- Local authority
- Cheshire West and Chester
- URN
- 131792
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.