SchoolScoresIndependent school guide

West Hill School

Academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Boys only

Part of WEST HILL SCHOOL

Thompson Cross, Stamford Street, Stalybridge, SK15 1LX

0161 338 2193 · School website · Map and directions

Ofsted report card3 expected, 3 needs attentionSafeguarding met · 21 April 2026
Grade 5 or above in English and maths39%England 45% · 2024/25
Pupils852Room for 850
First-choice applications per place1.2201 for 161 places, September 2026

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted report card from the inspection that started on 21 April 2026 , published 10 June 2026.

In short: 3 expected, 3 needs attention, and safeguarding met.

Since November 2025 Ofsted grades each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. How report cards work.

AreaGrade
SafeguardingWhether pupils are kept safe. Met or not met. Met
InclusionHow well the school supports disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
Curriculum and teachingWhat pupils are taught and how well they are taught it. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
AchievementHow well pupils learn and the results they get. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
Attendance and behaviourWhether pupils come to school and how they behave. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.
Personal development and wellbeingPupils' wider development, character and wellbeing. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.
Leadership and governanceHow well leaders and governors run the school. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

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Results

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

169 pupils in this year group.

39% — 2 points below the Tameside average, and 7 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolTamesideEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 39% 41% 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. 43.5 43.6 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 3.5 3.8 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
30% 40% 50% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 39%This school 2023/24: 37%This school 2024/25: 39% This school England 45% 2022/23 39% 2023/24 37% 2024/25 39%

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.

161 pupils in this year group.

92% — 3 points above the Tameside average, and about the same as the England average.

Where pupils went after Year 11
This school 47%40%
England 34%13%37%
MeasureThis schoolTamesideEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 92% 89% 92%
School sixth form 2% 3% 34%
Sixth form college 47% 36% 13%
Further education college 40% 43% 37%
Apprenticeship 2% 3% 3%
Work 1% 3% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
92%92%

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 Tameside. 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 1 first-choice applications for every place.

Places offered161
Families who put it first201
Of those, offered a place152 (76%)
Families who listed it at all413

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.2 · 2025: 1.3 · 2026: 1.2

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 Tameside

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolTamesideEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
 29.5% 38.6%* 28.9%
With an education, health and care plan
 1.6% 4.3%* 3.1%
Receiving special educational needs support
 16.6% 15.2%* 13.4%
English as an additional language
 6.3% 13.3%* 19.2%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
 6.5% 9.3%* 8.4%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
 16.5% 24.7%* 23.4%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
 19.7 46.3 21.2
Pupils suspended at least once
 7.0% 13.4% 7.3%
Pupils permanently excluded2 pupils 0.23% 0.43% 0.23%
Pupils per teacher
 17.3 16.5 16.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
 11.8 11.4 11.8
Teachers who left during the year
 16.6% 12.9%* 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 West Hill School's Ofsted rating?

West Hill School was inspected under Ofsted's report card format in 21 April 2026. Report cards grade each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. Its grades were 3 expected, 3 needs attention, and safeguarding was met.

How did West Hill School do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 39% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 7 points below the England average of 45%.

Is West Hill School oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 201 families put West Hill School as their first choice for 161 places: about 1 first-choice applications for every place. 152 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.