In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are above England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Missing school is a bigger problem than across England.
Kensington and Chelsea at a glance
Strong results at 11, weaker attendance
How Kensington and Chelsea's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries13226 primary · 6 secondary · 66 nurseries
Primaries Good or better95%England 96%
Met the standard at 1175%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths59%Attainment 8 52.4, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary33%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school21%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Kensington and Chelsea
Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.
Apply through the council where you live, even for a school in another council's area. Independent schools take applications directly.
About Kensington and Chelsea
Kensington and Chelsea is a London borough with 26 mainstream primary schools and 6 mainstream secondary schools. Independent schools are common too, with 30 in the area. Faith schools are common, with 22 in the area, and they can put families of their faith first when they're full.
Key dates each year
31 October
Secondary school applications close
15 January
Primary school applications close
1 March
Secondary school offers
16 April
Primary school offers
If a date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, offers go out the next working day.
75.4%got their first-choice primary school in Kensington and Chelsea in 2026. England: 92.4%. Ranked 150 of 151 councils. 90.7% got one of their top three.3.6% were offered a primary school in another council. England: 3.6%.
66.8%got their first-choice secondary school in Kensington and Chelsea in 2026. England: 83.6%. Ranked 141 of 151 councils. 87.9% got one of their top three.22.8% were offered a secondary school in another council. England: 8.0%.
Source: DfE applications and offers, 2026. A low rate shows high demand, not poor schools.
0 of 9 primary appeals heard in Kensington and Chelsea succeeded in 2025. 5 of 35 secondary appeals heard in Kensington and Chelsea succeeded in 2025.
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Numbers that sum up Kensington and Chelsea
Kensington and ChelseaEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 19 primaries with one.
95%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
3 of the 3 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
75%
England 62%
Above England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
59%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
21%
England 18%
Worse than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
33%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 32 schools that have one.
97%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding13
Good18
Requires improvement1
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Kensington and Chelsea in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1175% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths59% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school21% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
The figures in full
The latest published year for each measure. Sources and years are on our data sources page.
Measure
Kensington and Chelsea
England
Good or Outstanding (Ofsted)
97%
95%
Met the expected standard at 11 (KS2)
75%
62%
Attainment 8
52.4
46.2
Persistent absence
21%
18%
Pupils per teacher
15.5:1
17.9:1
Spending per pupil
£11,721
£8,120
In education or work after 16
91%
91%
Went on to higher education
72%
56%
Pupils with special educational needs
22%
21%
Pupils with English as an additional language
44%
22%
Pupils on free school meals
36%
27%
DfE local authority code 207, ONS code E09000020.
Living here
What it's like for families
Kensington and Chelsea has 132 schools and nurseries.
There are 3% more pupils than in 2018.
33% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Kensington and Chelsea's state schools each January.
12.7k2018
13.3k2019
13.3k2021
13.4k2022
13.3k2023
13.1k2024
12.9k2025
13.0k2026
Up 3% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.
Free school meals
Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.
Kensington and Chelsea33%
Keep up with schools in Kensington and Chelsea
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Questions parents ask about Kensington and Chelsea
How many schools are in Kensington and Chelsea?+
Kensington and Chelsea has 132 schools, including 55 primary schools, 22 secondary schools, 66 nurseries, 30 independent schools, 4 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in Kensington and Chelsea?+
The highest-ranked schools in Kensington and Chelsea on Eduscope are Thomas Jones Primary School, Christ Church CofE Primary School, The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial RC School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.
What percentage of schools in Kensington and Chelsea are rated Good or Outstanding?+
97% of inspected schools in Kensington and Chelsea hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 13 schools rated Outstanding and 18 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Kensington and Chelsea perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Kensington and Chelsea, 75% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.
What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Kensington and Chelsea?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Kensington and Chelsea is 15.5:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.
What is the persistent absence rate in Kensington and Chelsea schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Kensington and Chelsea is 20.7%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.
How many pupils attend schools in Kensington and Chelsea?+
There are 13,049 pupils enrolled across schools in Kensington and Chelsea, with 6,307 in primary and 6,549 in secondary. 36.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Kensington and Chelsea?+
There are 30 independent schools in Kensington and Chelsea. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare all private schools in Kensington and Chelsea on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Kensington and Chelsea?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 132 schools in Kensington and Chelsea by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.
Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.
