School Chooser

Kingsmead Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedCouncil308 pupilsNorthwichCheshire West and Chester
School Chooser Score
58
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 37 to 77
Out of 100. Better than 19% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, January 2024
Reached the expected level at 1166%England 63%
Attendance96.8%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families7%Far fewer than most schools
Places7 spare308 pupils, 315 places
Pupils per teacher19.7School workforce census

Kingsmead Primary School is a council school in Northwich for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 308 pupils and room for 315. About 7 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 58 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 19% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.

Dukes Way, Kingsmead, Northwich, CW9 8WA01606 800170kingsmead.cheshire.sch.ukMrs Lisa Rutter-Brown headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 23 January 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Outstanding
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Outstanding
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

47 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1166%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level2%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score107.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 73%73%20172018: 81%81%20182019: 60%60%20192023: 59%59%20232024: 61%61%20242025: 66%66%2025
Since 2017: -7%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017Cheshire West and ChesterEngland
Pupils tested474646453130
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths66%61%59%60%81%73%62%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths2%0%0%7%10%13%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score107.0106.0105.0105.0108.0106.0105.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0103.0102.0105.0108.0106.0104.5104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score107.0107.0105.0107.0109.0109.0105.2105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard83%74%70%80%94%87%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard74%67%70%71%94%80%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)77%72%65%80%87%90%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.1-0.9+1.3-0.1
Maths progressMaths progress score-1.1-1.2+1.3-0.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged71%38%33%67%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged65%63%64%75%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 3 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
71%65%
Gap 6 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
59%70%
Gap 11 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%2%
Gap 2 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Open to all. There is no entrance test.

Catchment area

Cheshire West and Chester council has drawn an official catchment area for this school. You can see it on the map below; it covers about 1.2 square kilometres. Living inside it moves your child up the queue when there are more applicants than places. It doesn't guarantee a place: the council's admissions rules decide the order.

Set your home postcode at the top of the page to see whether you live inside it.

Full316 pupils for 315 places, 2024/25
100% full

The school is full, with 1 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Cheshire West and Chester council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

What a home inside the catchment costs

Typical sale price inside the catchment£333,500half sold for £155k to £426k
Homes sold160December 2023 to December 2025, Land Registry
Compared with the district+28%a typical home in the district sells for £261,000

Every home sold inside the council's catchment area, of any type, from HM Land Registry records. If homes here cost more than the district average, that is the price people pay to live close enough to get in.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll308Census January 2026
Places31598% full
Pupils from low-income families7%7% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English10%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support14%44 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%9 pupils with a plan
Average class size29.88 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)6%£26,350 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls169 / 139
White British pupils80%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 30.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.7 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (18), emotional and mental health (14), language and communications needs (10), Autistic spectrum disorder (8), Vision impairment (2), Other difficulty or disability (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll308315318318320316
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals7%7%6%8%8%7%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language10%8%7%7%7%8%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support16%16%14%14%14%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%2%2%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.8% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.8%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school3.6%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils6.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.1%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.2%3.8%3.9%5.1%2.3%2.4%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.1%2.6%2.8%4.3%2.2%1.7%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.1%1.3%1.2%0.8%0.1%0.7%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence3.6%5.0%6.5%9.3%3.7%1.5%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate6.03.80.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers15.6full-time equivalent, 22 people
Pupils per teacher19.7Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants12.0full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£46,410
Teachers who left in the year18%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher4.12024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,501England £7,738. Total £2.0m
Income per pupil£6,452England £7,697. Total £2.0m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,264England £3,480
Money in reserve3%Very little put by: £57k, £180 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£15kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£6,501spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m6812 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate38 per 1,000 people58% lower than the England average
Typical house price£260,000Cheshire West and Chester
Nearest bus stop300 mMonarch Drive, 8 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic500 m191Good 202263Compare
Hartford Manor Primary School & NurseryCouncil900 m442Good 202378Compare
Charles Darwin Community Primary SchoolCouncil0.7 miles331Report card 202667Compare
Leftwich Community Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles161Good 202445Compare
Winnington Park Community Primary and Nursery SchoolCouncil0.8 miles420Report card 202645Compare
Davenham CofE Primary SchoolAcademy0.9 miles302Good 2024Compare
Hartford Primary SchoolAcademy1.1 miles396Good 202168Compare
Witton Church Walk CofE Aided Nursery and Primary SchoolChurch of England1.2 miles219No overall grade 20259Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Kingsmead Primary School with the 48 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats19%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 58 is 18 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 18 · middle 76 · highest 99100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Kingsmead Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Ravenbank Primary SchoolAcademy9.6 miles336Good 202391Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 58 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 58% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 37 to 77. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
+0.03
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 47 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.06
DfE progress measure; 47 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.08
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well above
+0.14
2024/25; 276 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.10
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 47 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Kingsmead Primary School a good school?

It is about average. Kingsmead Primary School scores 58 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 19% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 37 to 77, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Kingsmead Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Kingsmead Primary School good at its last full inspection on 23 January 2024.

How good are Kingsmead Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 66% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 2% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Kingsmead Primary School have?

308 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 315 places, so it is 98% full.

Is Kingsmead Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably. The school was full in 2024/25, with 1 more pupils than places. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.

What is attendance like at Kingsmead Primary School?

Pupils were in school 96.8% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 4% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Kingsmead Primary School?

The average class had 29.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Dukes Way, Kingsmead, Northwich, CW9 8WA
Telephone
01606 800170
Website
www.kingsmead.cheshire.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Lisa Rutter-Brown
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Cheshire West and Chester
Ward
Davenham, Moulton & Kingsmead
Constituency
Mid Cheshire
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2004 (new provision)
URN
134336 · LAESTAB 8963802 · UKPRN 10074137

Where these figures come from