Whitworth Community High School

Community school · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Mixed

Hall Street, Hallford, Hallfold, Rochdale, OL12 8TS

01706 343218 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 4 December 2014; confirmed 2023
Grade 5 or above in English and maths63%England 45% · 2024/25
1st highest of 8 state secondary schools in Rochdale.
Higher than 86% of 3,259 state secondary schools in England.
Pupils654Room for 709 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 637 in 2019, 641 in 2021, 646 in 2022, 658 in 2023, 655 in 2024, 651 in 2025, 654 in 2026. Across England, secondary state school pupil numbers were up 10% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place1.3165 for 125 places, September 2026
1st highest of 8 state secondary schools in Rochdale.
Higher than 88% of 3,219 state secondary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 4 December 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 22 March 2023: Ofsted found the school was still Good.

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

123 pupils in this year group.

63% — 20 points above the Lancashire average, and 18 points above the England average.

MeasureThis schoolLancashireEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 63% 44% 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. 50.3 45.1 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 4.2 4.0 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 50%This school 2023/24: 34%This school 2024/25: 63% This school England 45% 2022/23 50% 2023/24 34% 2024/25 63%

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.

130 pupils in this year group.

96% — 6 points above the Lancashire average, and 4 points above the England average.

Where pupils went after Year 11
This school 25%62%
England 34%13%37%
MeasureThis schoolLancashireEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 96% 90% 92%
School sixth form 3% 12% 34%
Sixth form college 25% 20% 13%
Further education college 62% 48% 37%
Apprenticeship 5% 5% 3%
Work 1% 4% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
94%96%

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 Lancashire. 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 1.5 first-choice applications for every place.

Places offered125
Families who put it first165
Of those, offered a place124 (75%)
Families who listed it at all284

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.3 · 2025: 1.5 · 2026: 1.3

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 Lancashire

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolLancashireEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
8th highest of 8 state secondary schools in Rochdale.
Higher than 43% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
24.4% 26.4%* 28.9%
With an education, health and care plan
7th highest of 8 state secondary schools in Rochdale.
Higher than 38% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
2.5% 2.5%* 3.1%
Receiving special educational needs support
1st highest of 8 state secondary schools in Rochdale.
Higher than 86% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
19.8% 13.2%* 13.4%
English as an additional language
8th highest of 8 state secondary schools in Rochdale.
Higher than 0% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
0.0% 12.2%* 19.2%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
1st lowest of 8 state secondary schools in Rochdale.
Lower than 87% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
5.9% 8.3%* 8.4%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
1st lowest of 8 state secondary schools in Rochdale.
Lower than 77% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
17.7% 22.8%* 23.4%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
2nd lowest of 8 state secondary schools in Rochdale.
Lower than 59% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
11.5 21.6 21.2
Pupils suspended at least once
2nd lowest of 8 state secondary schools in Rochdale.
Lower than 58% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
5.8% 8.1% 7.3%
Pupils permanently excluded4 pupils 0.61% 0.53% 0.23%
Pupils per teacher
3rd highest of 8 state secondary schools in Rochdale.
Higher than 73% of 3,442 state secondary schools in England.
17.9 16.7 16.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
7th highest of 8 state secondary schools in Rochdale.
Higher than 24% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
10.6 11.6 11.8
Teachers who left during the year
8th highest of 8 state secondary schools in Rochdale.
Higher than 18% of 3,430 state secondary schools in England.
8.2% 12.5%* 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 Whitworth Community High School's Ofsted rating?

Whitworth Community High School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 4 December 2014. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 22 March 2023, Ofsted found the school was still Good.

How did Whitworth Community High School do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 63% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 18 points above the England average of 45%.

Is Whitworth Community High School oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 165 families put Whitworth Community High School as their first choice for 125 places: about 1.5 first-choice applications for every place. 124 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.