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Academy sponsor led · St. Helens

The Sutton Academy

  • 11–18Ages
  • 1,441Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 136141URN

Elton Head Road, St Helens, WA9 5AU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jun 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
2.1per place
close to St. Helens median (2.1)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in St. Helens

525 applications for 255 places · 5th of 8 in St. Helens
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
45.5of 90
3rd of 8 in St. Helens
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 16 June 2026Published 20 July 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionExpected standard
Leadership and governanceExpected 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

  1. 16 June 2026
    Report card · 3 Strong standard, 4 Expected standard
  2. 14 June 2022
    Graded 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 entry
2.1applications per place, Year 7
close to St. Helens median (2.1) close to England median (2.2)

525 applications · 255 places offered · 298 named it first

  1. 2026 2.1; St. Helens median median 2.1
  2. 2025 2.0; St. Helens median median 2.2
  3. 2024 1.9; St. Helens median median 1.9
  4. 2023 2.1; St. Helens median median 1.8
  5. 2022 1.7; St. Helens median median 1.7
  6. 2021 1.6; St. Helens median median 1.9
  7. 2020 1.5; St. Helens median median 2.0
  8. 2019 1.5; St. Helens median median 1.9
  9. 2018 1.6; St. Helens median median 1.9
  10. 2017 1.5; St. Helens median median 1.5
  11. 2016 1.5; St. Helens median median 1.5
  12. 2015 1.6; St. Helens median median 1.6
  13. 2014 1.6; St. Helens median median 1.6
More applications per place than the St. Helens median in 1 of 13 years.
  • This school
  • St. Helens 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20262555252.12981.17
Sep 20252545032.02591.02
Sep 20242654921.92831.07
Sep 20232655452.13391.28
Sep 20222644441.72891.09
Sep 20212684301.62731.02
Sep 20202683981.52610.97
Sep 20192694001.52691.00
Sep 20181953021.61890.97
Sep 20172153301.52090.97
Sep 20162393631.52110.88
Sep 20152303721.62140.93
Sep 20142403901.62310.96

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

259 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)45.53rd of 8 in St. Helens
Grade 5 or above in English and maths46%3rd of 8 in St. Helens
Grade 4 or above in English and maths67%
  • This school
  • St. Helens median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.06
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)25945.546%67%–
2024/2525643.139%55%–
2023/2426343.140%56%−0.06
2022/2320743.139%60%−0.08

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

  • 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
Academy sponsor led
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
136141 · 342/6905
Trust
The Challenge Academy Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,550 pupils · 1,441 on roll
Free school meals
39.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 September 2010
Replaced
Sutton High Sports College (URN 104825)
Address
Elton Head Road, St Helens, WA9 5AU
Local authority
St. Helens

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources