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Western Branch Middle

Q: Is Western Branch Middle a good school?

Western Branch Middle ranks 150 th of 419 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

150^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 419 Virginia Middle Schools

Better than 64% of Virginia middle schools

Summary

Western Branch Middle is a public middle school located in Chesapeake, Virginia, serving grades 6-8 with an enrollment of 903 students. The school is part of the Chesapeake City Public Schools district, which is ranked 31 out of 129 school districts in Virginia and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Western Branch Middle consistently ranks in the top 30% of Virginia middle schools, with particularly strong performance in Algebra I, Geometry, and 8th grade English Reading, where the school's proficiency rates are often 5-10 percentage points above the Chesapeake City Public Schools and Virginia state averages. The school also performs well across different student subgroups, with its Hispanic, White, African American, and Economically Disadvantaged student populations ranking in the top 35% of Virginia middle schools.

When compared to nearby schools within the Chesapeake City Public Schools district, such as Oscar Smith Middle and Deep Creek Middle, Western Branch Middle stands out as a higher-performing institution. However, when considering schools outside the Chesapeake district, such as Ruffner School and Cradock Middle, Western Branch Middle's performance is significantly stronger.

855

Students ?

12.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,343

Per pupil spending ?

73.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4201 Hawksley Dr
Chesapeake, VA 23321

(757) 638-7920

District: Chesapeake City Public Schools

Students who attend Western Branch Middle usually attend:

High:

Western Branch High

Feeder schools for Western Branch Middle:

Elementary:	Western Branch Intermediate
	Western Branch Primary

Racial breakdown:

White:

37.5%

African American:

37.3%

Two or more races:

10.5%

See top rated Virginia middle schools

Compare Western Branch Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 63rd percentile in 2015 → 64th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Virginia average (74% vs 69% meeting standards)

✓Above the Virginia median (64th percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school74%

District avg74%

Virginia avg69%

150^th of 419

Virginia public middle schools ?

Top 36%▲ up 1 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^th of 10Middle Schools in the Chesapeake City Public Schools

31^st of 129Chesapeake City Public Schools among Virginia districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	63.9	150 of 419	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.0	151 of 417	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	74.4	102 of 422	75.8%	★★★★☆
2022	63.0	125 of 415	69.9%	★★★★☆
2021	61.7	124 of 419	70.4%	★★★★☆
2019	61.8	142 of 424	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.6	95 of 413	77.0%	★★★★☆
2017	64.7	100 of 415	75.9%	★★★★☆
2016	64.3	107 of 409	73.8%	★★★★☆
2015	58.0	151 of 412	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2014	61.6	119 of 416	71.4%	★★★★☆
2013	59.5	128 of 416	69.2%	★★★☆☆
2012	51.9	188 of 413	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2011	50.6	198 of 413	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2010	62.2	116 of 408	71.6%	★★★★☆
2009	59.9	125 of 390	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2008	58.6	132 of 391	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2007	63.9	106 of 387	72.6%	★★★★☆
2006	69.1	64 of 383	83.3%	★★★★☆
2005	75.2	58 of 340	82.9%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	63.0	102 of 297	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.1	106 of 299	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	75.9	56 of 298	81.2%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	43.5	91 of 136	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	59.9	56 of 128	56.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	72.5	24 of 132	81.8%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2024	57.8	108 of 281	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	81.2	31 of 278	88.8%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	64.3	148 of 403	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.2	165 of 407	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	74.2	93 of 411	77.4%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	70.6	71 of 279	74.6%	★★★★☆
2024	74.2	57 of 272	79.0%	★★★★☆
2023	88.3	19 of 275	93.1%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	61.9	144 of 403	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	71.5	91 of 402	77.4%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	63.0	145 of 404	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.6	132 of 407	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	73.3	101 of 409	75.3%	★★★★☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	43.7	82 of 130	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.1	85 of 123	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	55.0	56 of 114	50.9%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	51.9	121 of 244	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.0	89 of 237	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	67.7	68 of 231	70.6%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	70.4	87 of 400	78.3%	★★★★☆
2024	65.9	119 of 396	69.9%	★★★★☆
2023	73.6	72 of 402	82.1%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2025)78th percentile+14 vs school

Hispanic (2025)75th percentile+10 vs school

African American (2025)66th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)64th percentile~ school

Male (2025)64th percentile~ school

Female (2025)63rd percentile~ school

Disabled (2024)62nd percentile~ school

Multi-racial (2025)50th percentile-14 vs school

Military Connected (2025)37th percentile-27 vs school

Asian (2025)33rd percentile-31 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2024-2025) ?

Geometry100%+3 vs state

Algebra I96%~ state avg

English Reading79%+6 vs state

Science79%+13 vs state

Civics and Economics71%~ state avg

Mathematics62%+6 vs state

★

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Schools Near Western Branch Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				SOL Geometry (2025)	SOL Algebra I (2025)		SOL Mathematics (2025)						SOL Science (2025)		SOL Earth Science (2025)		SOL English Reading (2025)						SOL Geography (2025)	SOL Civics and Economics (2025)			SOL VA Studies (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SOL Geometry 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 7th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL Science 8th Grade	SOL Earth Science 7th Grade	SOL Earth Science 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL English Reading 8th Grade	SOL Geography 8th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 6th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 7th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 8th Grade	SOL VA Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Western Branch Middle	Public	6-8	4201 Hawksley Dr	Chesapeake	23321	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 638-7920	855	68	12.5	73.3%	321 (37.5%)	319 (37.3%)	84 (9.8%)	36 (4.2%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.5%)	90 (10.5%)	63.9	150^th of 419 public middle schools	64.2%		64	151^st of 417 public middle schools	63.8%	1	100.0	100.0	94.7				57.5	57.1	72.4		78.9						79.3	74.7	83.7		70.7				$10,343	$419	$9,925
Churchland Middle	Public	7-8	4051 River Shore Rd	Portsmouth	23703	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 686-2512	798	54	14.7	100.5%	122 (15.3%)	555 (69.5%)	56 (7.0%)	3 (0.4%)	10 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (6.5%)	21	365^th of 419 public middle schools	12.9%		21.2	356^th of 417 public middle schools	14.6%	9	79.1	98.6	92.0					23.5	34.9		51.4							62.8	59.1				57.7		$10,307	$1,935	$8,372
Colonel Fred Cherry Middle	Public	6-8	7401 Burbage Drive	Suffolk	23435	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 925-6752	736	63	11.7	68.8%	165 (22.4%)	408 (55.4%)	69 (9.4%)	20 (2.7%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	70 (9.5%)	55.3	201^st of 419 public middle schools	52.0%		65.1	147^th of 417 public middle schools	64.7%	54	97.1	100.0	100.0				67.5	48.8	70.3		64.7		98.1				72.2	70.9	74.1			72.7			$7,997	$202	$7,796
Jolliff Middle	Public	6-8	1021 Jolliff Rd.	Chesapeake	23321	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 465-5246	753	65	11.5	73.8%	322 (42.8%)	256 (34.0%)	88 (11.7%)	19 (2.5%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	64 (8.5%)	71.9	106^th of 419 public middle schools	74.7%		72.9	94^th of 417 public middle schools	77.5%	12	100.0	100.0	98.2				56.4	77.5	73.2		82.9						79.2	83.7	87.8		67.8				$12,110	$781	$11,329
William E. Waters Middle	Public	7-8	600 Roosevelt Blvd	Portsmouth	23701	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 558-2813	549	46	11.9	98.9%	113 (20.6%)	358 (65.2%)	39 (7.1%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	34 (6.2%)	20.6	367^th of 419 public middle schools	12.4%		21.6	351^st of 417 public middle schools	15.8%	16	93.1	100.0	93.3					34.3	44.8		40.4							61.0	58.7				57.8		$12,280	$2,357	$9,923
John Yeates Middle	Public	6-8	4901 Bennetts Pasture Rd	Suffolk	23435	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 923-4105	509	51	9.9	69.5%	215 (42.2%)	183 (36.0%)	40 (7.9%)	14 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	55 (10.8%)	71	113^th of 419 public middle schools	73.0%		76.5	77^th of 417 public middle schools	81.5%	36	100.0	100.0	98.2				76.3	55.1	70.9		65.2		90.2				84.4	81.7	83.1			79.9			$10,855	$592	$10,263
Cradock Middle	Public	7-8	21 Alden Ave	Portsmouth	23702	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 393-8788	516	38	13.5	103.5%	36 (7.0%)	395 (76.6%)	36 (7.0%)	4 (0.8%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (7.9%)	11.5	389^th of 419 public middle schools	7.2%		11.5	387^th of 417 public middle schools	7.2%	2	82.9	96.8	88.1					21.6	25.8		42.9							55.8	58.7				50.0		$13,319	$3,103	$10,216
Blair Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	730 Spotswood Ave	Norfolk	23517	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(757) 628-2400	1,141	77	14.8	93.3%	240 (21.0%)	676 (59.2%)	117 (10.3%)	22 (1.9%)	4 (0.4%)	4 (0.4%)	78 (6.8%)	20.2	368^th of 419 public middle schools	12.2%		23.2	344^th of 417 public middle schools	17.5%	24	82.7	100.0	79.3				41.1	10.6	21.2		27.5	98.1	79.5				65.8	56.5	59.3	86.3		94.6	33.7		$8,978	$318	$8,660
Ruffner School	Public	3-8	610 May Ave.	Norfolk	23504	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 628-2466	576	47	12.2	93.4%	9 (1.6%)	531 (92.2%)	17 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	14 (2.4%)	2.6	413^th of 419 public middle schools	1.4%		2	413^th of 417 public middle schools	1.0%					33.3	21.3	18.4	26.8	14.6	12.8	10.5	20.7			53.3	23.4	36.8	36.4	37.3	38.7			71.4	25.0	21.1	$12,376	$1,572	$10,804
Deep Creek Middle	Public	6-8	1955 Deal Dr	Chesapeake	23323	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 558-5321	764	66	11.6	72.8%	272 (35.6%)	260 (34.0%)	150 (19.6%)	8 (1.0%)	5 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	68 (8.9%)	51.1	216^th of 419 public middle schools	48.4%		55.2	202^nd of 417 public middle schools	51.6%	14	92.3	100.0	100.0				51.3	61.1	58.1		70.9						74.9	77.9	69.9		57.6				$10,436	$374	$10,062

Frequently Asked Questions about Western Branch Middle

What district is Western Branch Middle in?

Chesapeake City Public Schools

Is Western Branch Middle a good school?

Western Branch Middle ranks 150^th of 419 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Western Branch Middle?

Students at Western Branch Middle are 38% White, 37% African American, 11% Two or more races, 10% Hispanic, 4% Asian.

How many students attend Western Branch Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 855 students attended Western Branch Middle.

What high school do graduates of Western Branch Middle attend?

Students who attend Western Branch Middle usually go on to attend Western Branch High

Rate Western Branch Middle!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Virginia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.