Upton-by-Chester High School
St James Avenue, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, CH2 1NNOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Upton-by-Chester High School is a secondary school in Chester for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 181 schools in Cheshire West and Chester. It ranks 3rd of 7 secondary schools in Chester. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in May 2015.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 14 May 2015, report published 16 June 2015
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Outstanding
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 4 February 2025
Pupils flourish in this school's nurturing and inclusive environment. Students in the sixth form are particularly appreciative of the school's support for their academic achievement and personal growth. Pupils develop positive relationships with staff. This helps them to feel known and cared for, despite the large size of the school. A culture of trust and respect is evident. For instance, at a charity karaoke event organised by sixth-form students, staff were loudly and enthusiastically cheered on by pupils. Staff are determined that pupils will achieve highly. The vast majority do. Pupils understand that their attitudes to learning make a difference to how successful they are. They behave accordingly. This helps to ensure that classrooms are calm and purposeful places where learning is very rarely disrupted. The pupil-produced 'Upton Voice' newsletter is a joyous celebration of pupils' individual and collective achievements. It brims with examples of the wide-ranging and exciting enrichment opportunities that the school provides. For instance, pupils attend residential trips, perform in the school production and engage in the wealth of clubs that are available through the 'engage' programme. These opportunities allow pupils to explore new talents and interests and help them to grow in confidence. Most pupils are highly positive about their school experience.
What the school should improve
- On occasions, teachers' checks on what pupils know and remember are not as effective as they could be. As a result, some pupils, including some disadvantaged pupils, develop gaps in their knowledge that are not addressed swiftly. The school should ensure that its strategies to check what pupils know and remember are embedded consistently well.
- The school's approach to supporting a small number of pupils in key stage 4 who find reading more difficult is underdeveloped. Consequently, a few older pupils do not receive the most effective support to help them to improve their reading. The school should ensure that older pupils receive the support that they need to read confidently and fluently.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
276 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
152 students
Average A level grade C+, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
1,728 pupils on roll, with places for 1,670
Schools near Upton-by-Chester High School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hammond | 0.6 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 32.0 |
| The Queen's School | 2 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 67.4 |
| Chester International School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 34.5 |
| The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 53.8 |
| Queen's Park High School | 2 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | Attainment 8: 44.2 |
School details
- School type
- Foundation school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Lee Cummins
- Phone
- 01244259800
- Address
- St James Avenue, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, CH2 1NN
- Local authority
- Cheshire West and Chester
- URN
- 111422
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.