Community school · Cheshire West and Chester

The Arches Community Primary School

4–11Ages
180Pupils
PrimaryPhase
134897URN

Saughall Road, Blacon, Chester, CH1 5EZ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jul 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.9per place

0.4 below Cheshire West and Chester median (2.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Cheshire West and Chester

39 applications for 21 places · 74th of 104 in Cheshire West and Chester

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

65%met the expected standard

Cheshire West and Chester 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 18 July 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.9applications per place, Reception

0.4 below Cheshire West and Chester median (2.2) 0.3 below England median (2.2)

39 applications · 21 places offered · 21 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 1.9; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.2
2025 2.1; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.2
2024 2.1; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.2
2023 2.0; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.2
2022 1.8; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.1
2021 1.9; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
2020 1.7; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
2019 1.8; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
2018 2.0; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
2017 1.9; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
2016 1.5; Cheshire West and Chester median median 1.9
2015 1.7; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
2014 2.0; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0

More applications per place than the Cheshire West and Chester median in 1 of 13 years.

This school
Cheshire West and Chester median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	21	39	1.9	21	1.00
Sep 2025	16	34	2.1	15	0.94
Sep 2024	19	39	2.1	18	0.95
Sep 2023	22	44	2.0	22	1.00
Sep 2022	24	43	1.8	24	1.00
Sep 2021	25	47	1.9	25	1.00
Sep 2020	25	43	1.7	25	1.00
Sep 2019	17	30	1.8	15	0.88
Sep 2018	29	59	2.0	29	1.00
Sep 2017	23	44	1.9	23	1.00
Sep 2016	34	50	1.5	33	0.97
Sep 2015	43	73	1.7	41	0.95
Sep 2014	31	61	2.0	31	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 77% · Writing 71% · Maths 74% → all three 65% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard65%48th of 113 in Cheshire West and Chester

Cheshire West and Chester 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard77%

Cheshire West and Chester 79% England 78%

Higher standard19%

Cheshire West and Chester 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard71%

Cheshire West and Chester 73% England 75%

Greater depth13%

Cheshire West and Chester 8% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard74%

Cheshire West and Chester 76% England 77%

Higher standard23%

Cheshire West and Chester 23% England 24%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Cheshire West and Chester median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	65%	6%	104	104
2023/24	61%	16%	105	105
2022/23	53%	3%	103	105

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

The Arches Community Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

1.9applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
Highfield Community Primary School
0.3 km · Cheshire West and Chester

2026

2.5applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
St Theresa's Catholic Primary School
0.4 km · Cheshire West and Chester

Good2024

1.5applications per place 48%met the SATs standard
J H Godwin Primary School
0.8 km · Cheshire West and Chester

2026

1.9applications per place 32%met the SATs standard
Dee Point Primary School
1.0 km · Cheshire West and Chester

2026

1.7applications per place 40%met the SATs standard
Chester Blue Coat Church of England Primary School
1.9 km · Cheshire West and Chester

Good2023

1.5applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Mill View Primary School
2.8 km · Cheshire West and Chester

Outstanding2024

4.7applications per place 90%met the SATs standard
Upton Heath CofE Primary School
2.8 km · Cheshire West and Chester

Good2024

1.9applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
St Oswald's CofE Primary School
2.9 km · Cheshire West and Chester

2026

2.1applications per place 78%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 134897 · 896/3804
Capacity: 210 pupils · 180 on roll
Free school meals: 55.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2005
Address: Saughall Road, Blacon, Chester, CH1 5EZ
Local authority: Cheshire West and Chester

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources