Academy converter · Sefton

Birkdale High School

11–16Ages
936Pupils
SecondaryPhase
BoysPupils
137297URN

Windy Harbour Road, Birkdale, Southport, PR8 3DT · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Apr 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.7per place

0.6 below Sefton median (2.3)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Sefton

316 applications for 190 places · 16th of 18 in Sefton

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

51.7of 90

Sefton 42.9 England 46.0

1st of 18 in Sefton

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 14 April 2026Published 22 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Strong standard	Expected standard
Inclusion		Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching		Strong standard
Achievement			Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour			Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Strong standard
Early years	Does not apply to this school
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Strong 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

14 April 2026
Report card · 4 Strong standard, 2 Expected standard
16 June 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains 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

1.7applications per place, Year 7

0.6 below Sefton median (2.3) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

316 applications · 190 places offered · 188 named it first

2026 1.7; Sefton median median 2.3
2025 1.7; Sefton median median 2.3
2024 1.8; Sefton median median 2.2
2023 1.7; Sefton median median 2.1
2022 1.9; Sefton median median 2.1
2021 1.7; Sefton median median 2.1
2020 1.7; Sefton median median 2.0
2019 1.9; Sefton median median 2.1
2018 2.1; Sefton median median 1.9
2017 1.8; Sefton median median 1.9
2016 2.0; Sefton median median 2.0
2015 1.8; Sefton median median 2.0
2014 1.9; Sefton median median 2.1

More applications per place than the Sefton median in 1 of 13 years.

This school
Sefton 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	190	316	1.7	188	0.99
Sep 2025	184	319	1.7	198	1.08
Sep 2024	183	336	1.8	184	1.01
Sep 2023	188	324	1.7	184	0.98
Sep 2022	176	327	1.9	183	1.04
Sep 2021	180	314	1.7	161	0.89
Sep 2020	190	329	1.7	178	0.94
Sep 2019	191	365	1.9	198	1.04
Sep 2018	140	290	2.1	119	0.85
Sep 2017	164	297	1.8	148	0.90
Sep 2016	145	293	2.0	122	0.84
Sep 2015	132	239	1.8	123	0.93
Sep 2014	131	247	1.9	105	0.80

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

185 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)51.71st of 18 in Sefton

Sefton 42.9 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths60%1st of 18 in Sefton

Sefton 40% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths76%

Sefton 60% England 66%

This school
Sefton median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.22

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	185	51.7	60%	76%	–
2024/25	176	51.9	57%	74%	–
2023/24	179	50.7	54%	72%	+0.22
2022/23	137	49.9	60%	73%	−0.14

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

Birkdale High SchoolThis school
This school

2026

1.7applications per place 51.7Attainment 8
Greenbank High School
1.2 km · Sefton

Good2022

1.7applications per place 49.9Attainment 8
Christ The King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre
2.2 km · Sefton

Good2023

2.6applications per place 42.8Attainment 8
Meols Cop High School
4.4 km · Sefton

2026

2.8applications per place 42.9Attainment 8
Formby High School
6.4 km · Sefton

Good2022

2.5applications per place 51.5Attainment 8
Stanley High School
7.2 km · Sefton

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.7applications per place 40.8Attainment 8
Range High School
8.4 km · Sefton

2026

2.4applications per place 50.2Attainment 8
St Bede's Catholic High School
10.1 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.3applications per place 54.0Attainment 8
Ormskirk School
11.6 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.3applications per place 42.3Attainment 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: Academy converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 137297 · 343/4108
Trust: Southport Learning Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 940 pupils · 936 on roll
Free school meals: 22.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 17 August 2011
Replaced: Birkdale High School (URN 104954)
Address: Windy Harbour Road, Birkdale, Southport, PR8 3DT
Local authority: Sefton

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