Academy converter · Warrington

Birchwood Community High School

11–16Ages
875Pupils
SecondaryPhase
139840URN

Brock Road, Birchwood, Warrington, WA3 7PT · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Dec 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.0per place

close to Warrington median (1.9)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Warrington

355 applications for 180 places · 6th of 12 in Warrington

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

45.7of 90

Warrington 46.3 England 46.0

9th of 13 in Warrington

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 10 December 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		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

2.0applications per place, Year 7

close to Warrington median (1.9) 0.3 below England median (2.2)

355 applications · 180 places offered · 168 named it first

2026 2.0; Warrington median median 1.9
2025 2.3; Warrington median median 2.1
2024 1.9; Warrington median median 2.0
2023 1.8; Warrington median median 1.9
2022 1.8; Warrington median median 2.0
2021 2.0; Warrington median median 2.0
2020 1.9; Warrington median median 2.0
2019 2.0; Warrington median median 2.1
2018 2.2; Warrington median median 2.1
2017 2.2; Warrington median median 2.1
2016 2.3; Warrington median median 2.3
2015 2.5; Warrington median median 2.3
2014 2.6; Warrington median median 2.3

This school
Warrington 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	180	355	2.0	168	0.93
Sep 2025	134	314	2.3	116	0.87
Sep 2024	165	320	1.9	144	0.87
Sep 2023	210	367	1.8	177	0.84
Sep 2022	185	330	1.8	160	0.86
Sep 2021	170	339	2.0	149	0.88
Sep 2020	165	320	1.9	142	0.86
Sep 2019	157	317	2.0	132	0.84
Sep 2018	147	318	2.2	114	0.78
Sep 2017	174	387	2.2	118	0.68
Sep 2016	197	458	2.3	157	0.80
Sep 2015	169	414	2.5	143	0.85
Sep 2014	178	465	2.6	163	0.92

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

180 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)45.79th of 13 in Warrington

Warrington 46.3 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths44%10th of 13 in Warrington

Warrington 47% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths62%

Warrington 65% England 66%

This school
Warrington median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.37

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	180	45.7	44%	62%	–
2024/25	154	47.9	43%	70%	–
2023/24	161	42.9	37%	54%	−0.37
2022/23	138	43.8	38%	61%	−0.38

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

Birchwood Community High SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.0applications per place 45.7Attainment 8
King's Leadership Academy Warrington
1.7 km · Warrington

Standards maintained2025

2.6applications per place 55.4Attainment 8
Padgate Academy
2.2 km · Warrington

Good2023

1.9applications per place 41.6Attainment 8
Cardinal Newman Catholic High School
3.8 km · Warrington

Good2022

1.9applications per place 45.1Attainment 8
Beamont Collegiate Academy
4.0 km · Warrington

Remains Good2022

1.8applications per place 45.9Attainment 8
Culcheth High School
4.3 km · Warrington

Remains Good2022

1.9applications per place 45.1Attainment 8
Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School
4.8 km · Warrington

2026

2.8applications per place 46.3Attainment 8
Aldridge UTC Warrington
5.0 km · Warrington

Graded · no overall grade2024

30.3Attainment 8
Lymm High School
6.3 km · Warrington

Good2024

2.1applications per place 58.5Attainment 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: 139840 · 877/4226
Trust: One Community Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,050 pupils · 875 on roll
Free school meals: 41.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision
Opened: 1 July 2013
Replaced: Birchwood Community High School (URN 111444)
Address: Brock Road, Birchwood, Warrington, WA3 7PT
Local authority: Warrington

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