Hartford Church of England High School is a mainstream secondary school in Northwich, Cheshire West and Chester, for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 119 of its 1,102 pupils (10.8%) were getting SEN support and 31 (2.8%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 1,102 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.
10.8% get SEN support
119 of 1,102 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Lower than the England average.
2.8% have an EHC plan
31 of 1,102 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health58
- Autism30
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia30
- Moderate learning difficulty19
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
- Voluntary aided school
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,102 (places for 1,200)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Rachel Pickerill
- Faith
- Church of England
- Free school meals
- 17% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Cheshire West and Chester
- School reference (URN)
- 138148
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, June 2023
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in June 2023.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Hartford Campus Chester Road, Northwich, CW8 1LH
Loading the map…
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
- Elmy Hall School Independent · Ages 5–18 0.3 miles
- Cloughwood Academy Special school · Ages 8–18 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.3 miles
- St Nicholas Catholic High School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 0.4 miles
- Witton Church Walk CofE Aided Nursery and Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 1.4 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Winnington Park Community Primary and Nursery School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 11.7%, EHC plans 2.4% 0.2 miles
- Hartford Manor Primary School & Nursery Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 12.9%, EHC plans 2.5% 0.3 miles
- St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School Primary · Ages 5–11 · SEN support 8.9%, EHC plans 5.2% 0.4 miles
All mainstream schools in Cheshire West and Chester SEND schools in Cheshire West and Chester
Questions about Hartford Church of England High School
How many pupils at Hartford Church of England High School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 119 of the 1,102 pupils (10.8%) were getting SEN support and 31 (2.8%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Hartford 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 (58 pupils), autism (30 pupils) and dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (30 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Hartford 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 Hartford 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 Hartford Church of England High School?
You can ask for Hartford 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 Hartford 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 St Nicholas Catholic High School, about 0.4 miles away.
Where is Hartford Church of England High School?
Hartford Campus Chester Road, Northwich, CW8 1LH, 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.