Schools in Kensington and Chelsea
62 schools in 3 towns: how they were inspected, the best by phase, where places ran out, and the dates to apply.
Kensington and Chelsea at a glance
- Schools
- 62 26 state primary, 6 state secondary, 1 sixth-form or college and 29 private. DfE Get Information about Schools, 17 October 2026.
- Good or Outstanding
- 96% 26 of the 27 state schools whose latest Ofsted inspection gave a grade. 5 more have the new report card, which gives no single grade. Ofsted, latest inspections.
- Oversubscribed in 2026
- 9 Of 32 state schools with DfE figures for 2026: more first preferences than places at entry (Reception or Year 7). DfE, school applications and offers, 2026.
- Offer distances held
- 34% How far the last place reached on offer day: held for 11 of 32 state schools that take an intake. Kensington and Chelsea's published offer-day figures.
The best schools in Kensington and Chelsea
Primary
| Place in Kensington and Chelsea | School | Town | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Joseph's Catholic Primary School | London | 1st (1/26) |
| 2 | Thomas Jones Primary School | London | Top 8% (2/26) |
| 3 | Marlborough Primary School | London | Top 12% (3/26) |
| 4 | Fox Primary School | London | Top 16% (4/26) |
| 5 | Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School | London | Top 20% (5/26) |
| 6 | Servite RC Primary School | London | Top 24% (6/26) |
| 7 | St Charles Catholic Primary School | London | Top 27% (7/26) |
| 8 | St Barnabas and St Philip's CofE Primary School | London | Top 31% (8/26) |
| 9 | Colville Primary School | London | Top 35% (9/26) |
| 10 | Oratory Roman Catholic Primary School | London | Top 39% (10/26) |
Ranked on 2025 KS2 results: the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. The same rank as the full Kensington and Chelsea primary table (method). Source: DfE, key stage 2 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
Secondary (GCSE)
| Place in Kensington and Chelsea | School | Town | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial RC School | London | 1st (1/6) |
| 2 | Holland Park School | London | Top 34% (2/6) |
| 3 | Chelsea Academy | London | Top 50% (3/6) |
| 4 | Kensington Aldridge Academy | London | (4/6) |
| 5 | All Saints Catholic College | London | (5/6) |
| 6 | St. Thomas More Language College | London | (6/6) |
Ranked on 2026 GCSE results: Attainment 8, the average grade across eight GCSEs. The same rank as the full Kensington and Chelsea secondary table (method). Source: DfE, key stage 4 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
Towns
- Knightsbridge 1 school · best schools
- London 58 schools · best schools
All 3 towns in Kensington and Chelsea, each with its schools →
Getting in
Starting Reception in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September 2026 | Reception applications open | The council's application form opens. Look at your schools' admission rules and open days now. | Kensington and Chelsea council |
| 15 January 2027 | Primary applications close | Apply to your home council (where you live), listing your schools in order of preference. A late application is looked at after every on-time one. | Kensington and Chelsea council |
| 16 April 2027 | Primary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | Kensington and Chelsea council |
Starting secondary school (Year 7) in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September 2026 | Year 7 applications open | The council's application form opens. Look at your schools' admission rules and open days now. | Kensington and Chelsea council |
| 31 October 2026 | Secondary applications close | Apply to your home council (where you live), listing your schools in order of preference. A late application is looked at after every on-time one. | Kensington and Chelsea council |
| 1 March 2027 | Secondary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | Kensington and Chelsea council |
Every Kensington and Chelsea admission date · After offer day in Kensington and Chelsea: replies, waiting lists and appeals
We hold no catchment maps for Kensington and Chelsea. Many schools here admit by distance; the catchment finder says which maps cover a postcode.
Offer-day distances (how far the last place reached) are held for 11 of 32 state schools (34%). Could we get in? sets your distance beside them.
Private schools, fees and childcare
Private school fees in Kensington and Chelsea: we hold checked fees for 17 of 29 private schools.
Childcare costs, town by town: 63 nurseries and pre-schools in Kensington and Chelsea, with fees held for 1. Nurseries in Kensington and Chelsea by Ofsted rating.
Every school in Kensington and Chelsea
Your children and your home, with the schools, the distances and the dates that are yours.Open your plan
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Sources are named beside each figure. How we know · All sources.