Report card · inspected Jun 2026
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
This schoolOther secondary schools in Cheshire West and Chester
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Exceptional | Strong standard | Expected standard | Needs attention | Urgent improvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inclusion | Needs attention | ||||
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention | ||||
| Achievement | Needs attention | ||||
| Attendance and behaviour | Needs attention | ||||
| Personal development and wellbeing | Expected standard | ||||
| Early years | Does not apply to this school | ||||
| Post-16 provision | Expected standard | ||||
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard | ||||
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
- Does not apply
Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.
Inspection history
- 23 June 2026Report card · 3 Expected standard, 4 Needs attention
- 24 May 2022Graded inspection: Good
Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades
About these grades
Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.
How hard is it to get a place?
DfE · Sept 2026 entry368 applications · 196 places offered · 185 named it first
- 2026 1.9; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
- 2025 1.7; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.1
- 2024 1.8; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
- 2023 1.6; Cheshire West and Chester median median 1.8
- 2022 1.6; Cheshire West and Chester median median 1.8
- 2021 1.6; Cheshire West and Chester median median 1.9
- 2020 1.5; Cheshire West and Chester median median 1.8
- 2019 1.8; Cheshire West and Chester median median 1.8
- 2018 1.6; Cheshire West and Chester median median 1.6
- 2017 1.7; Cheshire West and Chester median median 1.8
- 2016 1.7; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
- 2015 1.7; Cheshire West and Chester median median 1.7
- 2014 1.6; Cheshire West and Chester median median 1.6
- This school
- Cheshire West and Chester median
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council
How this is measured
Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.
| Entry | Places | Applications | Per place | First preferences | First-pref. ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 196 | 368 | 1.9 | 185 | 0.94 |
| Sep 2025 | 223 | 389 | 1.7 | 205 | 0.92 |
| Sep 2024 | 228 | 398 | 1.8 | 215 | 0.94 |
| Sep 2023 | 271 | 422 | 1.6 | 235 | 0.87 |
| Sep 2022 | 289 | 461 | 1.6 | 273 | 0.94 |
| Sep 2021 | 273 | 425 | 1.6 | 263 | 0.96 |
| Sep 2020 | 294 | 448 | 1.5 | 286 | 0.97 |
| Sep 2019 | 300 | 534 | 1.8 | 337 | 1.12 |
| Sep 2018 | 299 | 477 | 1.6 | 294 | 0.98 |
| Sep 2017 | 279 | 470 | 1.7 | 285 | 1.02 |
| Sep 2016 | 277 | 481 | 1.7 | 290 | 1.05 |
| Sep 2015 | 270 | 466 | 1.7 | 280 | 1.04 |
| Sep 2014 | 266 | 432 | 1.6 | 256 | 0.96 |
How did pupils do at GCSE?
DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisionalEvery year as a table
| Year | Pupils | Attainment 8 | 5+ Eng & maths | 4+ Eng & maths | Progress 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (prov.) | 267 | 39.0 | 32% | 49% | – |
| 2024/25 | 274 | 38.9 | 31% | 54% | – |
| 2023/24 | 273 | 38.4 | 28% | 50% | −0.58 |
| 2022/23 | 262 | 38.2 | 26% | 55% | −0.70 |
Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.
Schools nearby
The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority
- The Whitby High SchoolThis schoolThis school20261.9applications per place 39.0Attainment 8
- 0.9 km · Cheshire West and Chester20262.1applications per place 36.2Attainment 8
- 1.6 km · Cheshire West and ChesterGood20231.6applications per place 36.9Attainment 8
- 6.1 km · Cheshire West and ChesterStandards maintained20252.0applications per place 54.6Attainment 8
- 6.8 km · Cheshire West and Chester20261.3applications per place 30.3Attainment 8
- 6.9 km · WirralGood20221.9applications per place 38.1Attainment 8
- 8.8 km · Cheshire West and ChesterGood202238.5Attainment 8
- 9.0 km · Cheshire West and ChesterGraded · no overall grade20252.0applications per place 48.6Attainment 8
- 9.3 km · Cheshire West and ChesterStandards maintained20253.0applications per place 53.7Attainment 8
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
- Does not apply
Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.
School details
- Type
- Foundation school
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 111429 · 896/4167
- Trust
- Seahorse Educational Trust
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Capacity
- 1,625 pupils · 1,398 on roll
- Free school meals
- 26.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Address
- Sycamore Drive, Whitby, Ellesmere Port, CH66 2NU
- Local authority
- Cheshire West and Chester
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources