The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School is a mainstream secondary school in Chester, Cheshire West and Chester, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 143 of its 1,253 pupils (11.4%) were getting SEN support and 42 (3.4%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 1,253 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Cheshire West and Chester.
11.4% get SEN support
143 of 1,253 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
3.4% have an EHC plan
42 of 1,253 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health69
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia49
- Autism44
- Moderate learning difficulty12
- Speech, language and communication7
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,253 (places for 1,200)
- Headteacher
- Ms Helen Cairns
- Part of
- The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School
- Faith
- Church of England
- Free school meals
- 17% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Cheshire West and Chester
- School reference (URN)
- 136543
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Cheshire West and Chester council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, November 2019; standards maintained (April 2025)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in November 2019.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, April 2025).
Contact and getting there
Vaughans Lane, Great Boughton, Chester, CH3 5XF
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Dee Banks School Special school · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.3 miles
- Maple Grove School Independent · Ages 5–18 1.0 mile
- The Catholic High School, Chester Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.2 miles
- Lache Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 2.2 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Boughton Heath Academy Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 4.9%, EHC plans 1.3% 0.2 miles
- Cherry Grove Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 20.1%, EHC plans 5.5% 0.5 miles
- Chester International School Secondary · Ages 14–19 · SEN support 38.9%, EHC plans 6.1% 0.9 miles
All mainstream schools in Cheshire West and Chester SEND schools in Cheshire West and Chester
Questions about The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School
How many pupils at The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 143 of the 1,253 pupils (11.4%) were getting SEN support and 42 (3.4%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (69 pupils), dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (49 pupils) and autism (44 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School?
Through Cheshire West and Chester council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School?
You can ask for The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is The Catholic High School, Chester, about 1.2 miles away.
Where is The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School?
Vaughans Lane, Great Boughton, Chester, CH3 5XF, in Cheshire West and Chester.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.