Abbey Gate College

Independent school · Mixed · ages 4–18 · with sixth formCheshire West and Chester, Chester CH3school website

About half of pupils got grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE — above the England rate. Destination figures are not published for independent schools.

GCSE results
50%

grade 5 or above in English and maths · England 45% · DfE performance tables, 2025; Attainment 8 is not comparable for independent schools, which often enter pupils for IGCSEs

Knowledge sphere of Abbey Gate College: fields of knowledge mapped by the subjects taken here, by ISCED levelLanguage & Communication · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Language & Communication · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 42%Language & Communication · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 42%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Natural Sciences · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 48%Natural Sciences · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 21%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 41%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Health & Safety · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 45%Health & Safety · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Business & Administration · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 25%Business & Administration · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 2%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 8%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 18%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Transversal Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 29%Transversal Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 57%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%LanguageMathsScienceICTEngineeringHealthBusinessLawSocialArtsTransversalGreen
Ofsted
—
Places
—
Pupils
408

Ofsted: Not covered by Ofsted school inspections. Places: the last distance at which places were offered is not on file (it comes from Cheshire West and Chester’s allocation statistics). Pupils: of 484 places, including the sixth form.

After Year 11 · age 16

Where do pupils go at 16?

The Department for Education has not published destination figures for this school (new school, small cohort or not a state-funded school).

After sixth form · age 18

Where do sixth-formers go at 18?

No published destinations for sixth-form leavers yet.

Universities · named

Which universities did they go to?

1university has told us how many applied, were offered a place and enrolled

Named universities — most schools do not publish this; the official DfE figures above only say how many went to university and how selective those universities were.

universities’ answers to sch.today’s Freedom of Information requests · request tracker

What universities’ own admissions data say2

For each entry year: how many of this school’s students applied, received an offer and enrolled. Counts under five are shown as “<5” to protect individuals. Applications exclude Clearing; enrolments are students who completed registration.

UniversityEntry yearAppliedOffersEnrolled
University of Bristol2024<5<5—
2023<5——

A university’s enrolment count and a school’s own destinations list can differ: the school counts places accepted in the summer, the university counts students registered in the autumn.

GCSE · Year 11 · 2025

How do GCSE results compare?

55.0Attainment 8 score, out of 90
This school55.0
Cheshire West and Chester44.6
England46.1

Attainment 8 — average GCSE points across eight subjects, English and maths counted twice; grade 5 in everything scores 50. Not comparable for independent schools, which often enter pupils for IGCSEs that the Department for Education does not count.

DfE performance tables 2024/2025 · 58 pupils in Year 11

50% got grade 5 or above in both English and maths (Cheshire West and Chester 42%, England 45%).

Grade 5 — a “strong pass”; grade 4 is a “standard pass”. Progress 8 is not published for 2025: this cohort had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020–21, so there is no baseline.

All GCSE measures10
MeasureAbbey Gate CollegeCheshire West and ChesterEngland
Attainment 8 (average points per pupil)55.044.646.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths50%42%45%
Grade 4 or above in English and maths86%63%65%
Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects26%40%41%
EBacc average point score4.683.964.09
Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort—24%28%
Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils—30.334.9
Attainment 8 — other pupils—49.350.4
Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2)———
English as an additional language—8%19%
Subjects · 2025

What do pupils study?

41.76%of the Key Stage 3, GCSE and A level curriculum mapped by the subjects taken here

Mapped — the share of the 3,288 learning outcomes the Department for Education sets for these stages that the subjects taken here cover, weighted by how many pupils take each.

DfE subject entries 2025 · curriculum catalogue by sch.today

Art and Design stands out at GCSE — 40% of the year group took it, against 7% across England. At A level it is Business Studies: 41% of students (England 13%).

Green & Sustainability57%
Natural Sciences48%
Health & Safety45%
Language & Communication42%
Mathematics & Statistics42%

Fields of knowledge — twelve fields the curriculum catalogue sorts every learning outcome into; the bars show the GCSE and A level ring.

GCSE subjects20

Entries as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEnglandGrades 7–9EnglandGrades 4–9
English Language58100%89%16%20%86%
Mathematics58100%88%16%22%91%
English Literature5086%86%22%21%92%
Geography3967%41%51%25%92%
Combined Science3764%65%19%9%89%
Business Studies3153%18%29%20%100%
Computer Science2543%13%40%30%84%
Art and Design2340%7%61%24%100%
History2238%41%41%26%77%
Biology2136%23%43%45%100%
Physics2136%23%33%46%90%
Chemistry2136%23%43%47%95%
Design and Technology1424%11%29%23%93%
Physical Education1221%11%25%24%92%
French1017%18%40%29%90%
Music916%5%11%33%89%
Spanish712%19%14%27%100%
Statistics610%5%67%20%100%
Drama59%7%—27%—
Religious Studies47%31%—32%—
A level subjects20

Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Business Studies1741%13%
Psychology1229%23%
Art and Design820%1%
Geography820%10%
Mathematics717%31%
Biology717%20%
Drama615%2%
Chemistry615%17%
Computer Science——5%
Product Design——2%
Economics——13%
English Language——4%
English Literature——11%
French——1%
Politics——6%
History——13%
Further Mathematics——5%
Music——0%
Physical Education——3%
Physics——12%
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses28
SubjectQualificationEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Business StudiesGCE AS level (All)1741%—
GeographyGCE AS level (All)922%—
MathematicsGCE AS level (All)922%—
ChemistryGCE AS level (All)820%—
BiologyGCE AS level (All)820%—
Study SkillsExtended Project (Diploma)717%—
EconomicsGCE AS level (All)717%—
SpanishGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
Mathematical StudiesCore Maths Qualifications at Level 3———
Computer ScienceGCE AS level (All)———
English LanguageGCE AS level (All)———
PoliticsGCE AS level (All)———
HistoryGCE AS level (All)———
Further MathematicsGCE AS level (All)———
MusicGCE AS level (All)———
PhysicsGCE AS level (All)———
PsychologyGCE AS level (All)———
SpanishGCE AS level (All)———
BiologyGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
ChemistryGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
EconomicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
GeographyGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
PoliticsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
HistoryGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
MathematicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
Further MathematicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
PhysicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
PsychologyGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
A level results8
MeasureAbbey Gate CollegeCheshire West and ChesterEngland
Students at the end of 16–18 study71——
— of whom A level students411,955261,341
Average A level gradeC+B-B-
Average points per A level entry33.7338.1135.00
Average grade, best 3 A levelsC+BB-
AAB or better with two facilitating subjects13%23%18%
Average grade, applied general courses———
Average grade, T levels———
Fields of knowledge, all stages12
Green & Sustainability65%
Natural Sciences57%
Language & Communication55%
Health & Safety55%
Mathematics & Statistics48%
Engineering & Manufacturing46%
Transversal Skills40%
Digital & ICT Skills33%
Business & Administration28%
Arts & Humanities25%
Social & Cultural Skills12%
Law & Public Administration9%

Ideas pupils meet most, weighted by the share of the cohort taking the subjects that teach them:

fraction 16.4percentage 12.0ratio 11.7gradient 9.9vocabulary 8.9reflection 8.2power 7.8translation 7.6particle model 7.4equation 7.3root 7.2energy transfer 7.1audience 6.9scale 6.9grammar 6.9standard form 6.6area 6.5graph 6.5percentage change 6.4formulae 6.0evidence 5.9context 5.7change of state 5.6impact 5.5

Coverage counts a subject’s outcomes in proportion to the share of the cohort entered for it; Combined Science counts as two thirds of the three separate sciences. Levels follow ISCED 2011 as UNESCO maps it for the UK: Key Stage 3 is ISCED 2; GCSE and A level are both ISCED 3. Methodology: about the data.

Careers

Which jobs use what’s taught here?

12apprenticeship standards closely match the subjects pupils take

A match of what’s taught, not of entry requirements: the standards whose knowledge and skills share the most ideas with the GCSEs and A levels taken here, weighted by how many pupils take each subject.

Level 3 / Level 6 — England’s qualification levels: 3 is A level standard, 4–5 are higher apprenticeships, 6 is a bachelor’s degree.

Skills England apprenticeship standards (Open Government Licence v3.0) · ESCO occupations, © European Union, matched by sch.today · how the match works

Water industry asset maintenance technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses ratio, graph, percentage from Business Studies, Geography, Mathematics and 12 more · jobs: consumer electronics repair technician, industrial electrician, electrician
ScientistLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · health and science · uses conclusion, data interpretation, experimental design from Biology, Chemistry, Geography and 9 more · jobs: physicist, analytical chemist, geneticist
Process industry manufacturing technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses pressure, conservation of mass, energy change from Biology, Chemistry, Design and Technology and 5 more · jobs: chemical engineering technician, chemical manufacturing quality technician, chemical production manager
More apprenticeships9
Geoscientist (integrated degree)Level 6 degree apprenticeship · health and science · uses data interpretation, climate change, data collection from Business Studies, Geography, Biology and 6 more · jobs: geologist, geological engineer, exploration geologist
Science manufacturing technician 2023Level 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses unit conversion, graph, pressure from Biology, Biology, Chemistry and 3 more · jobs: pharmaceutical engineer, chemical manufacturing quality technician, pharmacy technician
Data technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · digital · uses mean, integer, chart from Geography, Mathematics, Psychology and 9 more · jobs: data analyst, database administrator, data scientist
Battery manufacturing technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses area, unit conversion, volume from Chemistry, Chemistry, Mathematics and 3 more · jobs: battery test technician
Non-destructive technologies technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses ratio, measurement, data interpretation from Business Studies, Mathematics, Biology and 6 more
Artificial intelligence (AI) data specialistLevel 7 degree apprenticeship · digital · uses presentation, data presentation, experimental design from Business Studies, Geography, Mathematics and 8 more · jobs: ICT intelligent systems designer
Water industry network technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses standard form, unit conversion, volume from Biology, Chemistry, Design and Technology and 4 more · jobs: sewerage network operative, product quality inspector, sewerage maintenance technician
Junior visual effects - VFX artist or assistant technical director - ATDLevel 4 (higher) apprenticeship · creative and design · uses scale, data collection, data structure from Psychology, Art and Design, Chemistry and 6 more · jobs: 3D modeller, technical director, animation layout artist
Digital and technology solutions professionalLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · digital · uses conclusion, data collection, data interpretation from Biology, Business Studies, Geography and 9 more · jobs: business analyst, ICT consultant, business economics researcher
Admissions

How do you get a place?

Independent schools admit directly and set their own dates and entrance tests; council allocation statistics do not cover them.

  1. Year 6Register with the school; entrance assessments are usually in the autumn or January, offers in February
  2. Dec–FebYear 11: apply directly to the sixth form; most close applications in these months
Cheshire West and Chester

Compare with nearby schools

Stayed in education at 16 · Attainment 8 · pupils

Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.