Culcheth High School

Community school · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Mixed

Warrington Road, Culcheth, Warrington, WA3 5HH

01925 767587 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 30 April 2014; confirmed 2022
Grade 5 or above in English and maths55%England 45% · 2024/25
3rd highest of 14 state secondary schools in Warrington.
Higher than 75% of 3,259 state secondary schools in England.
Pupils1,164Room for 1,240 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 1,165 in 2019, 1,174 in 2021, 1,185 in 2022, 1,181 in 2023, 1,178 in 2024, 1,168 in 2025, 1,164 in 2026. Across England, secondary state school pupil numbers were up 10% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place1.0190 for 198 places, September 2026
6th highest of 14 state secondary schools in Warrington.
Higher than 52% of 3,219 state secondary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 30 April 2014.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Outcomes for pupilsGood
Leadership and managementGood

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 16 November 2022: Ofsted found the school was still Good.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

We'll ask you to confirm. One email per change, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy.

Results

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

228 pupils in this year group.

55% — 7 points above the Warrington average, and 10 points above the England average.

MeasureThis schoolWarringtonEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 55% 48% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. 51.1 48.5 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 4.5 4.3 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
40% 50% 60% 70% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 48%This school 2023/24: 51%This school 2024/25: 55% This school England 45% 2022/23 48% 2023/24 51% 2024/25 55%

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

224 pupils in this year group.

93% — about the same as the Warrington average, and about the same as the England average.

Where pupils went after Year 11
This school 60%25%
England 34%13%37%
MeasureThis schoolWarringtonEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 93% 93% 92%
School sixth form 4% 12% 34%
Sixth form college 60% 42% 13%
Further education college 25% 32% 37%
Apprenticeship 2% 3% 3%
Work 2% 2% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
97%93%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Warrington. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.

Places offered198
Families who put it first190
Of those, offered a place190 (100%)
Families who listed it at all374

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.0 · 2025: 1.1 · 2026: 1.0

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

Admissions dates and schools in Warrington

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolWarringtonEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
10th highest of 14 state secondary schools in Warrington.
Higher than 27% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
18.8% 23.1%* 28.9%
With an education, health and care plan
12th highest of 14 state secondary schools in Warrington.
Higher than 40% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
2.6% 4.0%* 3.1%
Receiving special educational needs support
10th highest of 14 state secondary schools in Warrington.
Higher than 47% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
13.2% 14.1%* 13.4%
English as an additional language
14th highest of 14 state secondary schools in Warrington.
Higher than 8% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
2.4% 14.4%* 19.2%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
10th lowest of 14 state secondary schools in Warrington.
Lower than 38% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
9.1% 7.7%* 8.4%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
8th lowest of 14 state secondary schools in Warrington.
Lower than 46% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
24.1% 20.0%* 23.4%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
5th lowest of 14 state secondary schools in Warrington.
Lower than 67% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
8.9 11.5 21.2
Pupils suspended at least once
6th lowest of 14 state secondary schools in Warrington.
Lower than 65% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
5.0% 4.8% 7.3%
Pupils permanently excluded2 pupils 0.17% 0.13% 0.23%
Pupils per teacher
2nd highest of 14 state secondary schools in Warrington.
Higher than 67% of 3,442 state secondary schools in England.
17.6 16.7 16.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
Joint 6th highest of 14 state secondary schools in Warrington.
Higher than 37% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
11.3 11.6 11.8
Teachers who left during the year
5th highest of 14 state secondary schools in Warrington.
Higher than 49% of 3,430 state secondary schools in England.
13.1% 10.9%* 14.2%*

Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

Nearby secondary schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Culcheth High School's Ofsted rating?

Culcheth High School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 30 April 2014. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 16 November 2022, Ofsted found the school was still Good.

How did Culcheth High School do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 55% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 10 points above the England average of 45%.

Is Culcheth High School oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 190 families put Culcheth High School as their first choice for 198 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 190 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.