Schools by area › Cheshire West and Chester › Charles Darwin Community Primary School
Charles Darwin Community Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Community school
Darwin Street, Castle, Northwich CW8 1BN · charlesdarwin.cheshire.sch.uk · 0160675194
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Jan 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 75%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Cheshire West and Chester 61%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Reception, September 2026 entry · Cheshire West and Chester Council
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 331
- 97% of 342 places
- Local authority
- Cheshire West and Chester
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 24.8%
- First language not English
- 16.9%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Cheshire West and Chester Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 28 families put the school first and 28 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 28 | 28 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 36 | 36 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 51 | 49 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 41 | 39 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 37 | 37 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 75% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 13% the higher standard. Across Cheshire West and Chester it was 61%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲75% | 62% | ||
| ▲13% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●108 | 106 | ||
| ▲109 | 105 | ||
| ▲109 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Charles Darwin Community Primary School on 13 January 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
- Achievement: Expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
- Personal development and well-being: Strong standard
- Early years: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 13 Jan 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Strong standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Strong standard |
| Early years | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Jun 2021
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
- Jun 2021Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
Before September 2019
Mar 2011Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Jun 2008Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good
What parents said
82% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (44 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 82%
- Positive
- 76%
- Replies
- 44
- 12% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 93% who raised concerns
based on 11 parents (25%) whose child was bullied
based on 15 parents (34%) with SEND