SecondaryState · Academy converter

Wade Deacon High School

Birchfield Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7TD ·

Ofsted:Outstanding· 2022

At a glance

A state secondary academy for ages 11–16 in Widnes. Rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection (November 2022). GCSE results are above the England average (Attainment 8: 54.0 vs 46.1, 2024/25). Oversubscribed: 393 families put it first for 343 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages: 11–16
Pupils: 1,658
Gender: Mixed
Sixth form: No
Admissions: Non-selective
Local authority: Halton
Academy trust: WADE DEACON TRUST
Headteacher: Mr Brendan Hesketh
Opened: Mar 2013

School website 01514232721 Explore the area

Inspection

Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)

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Graded inspection 29 Nov 2022

OutstandingOverall effectiveness

Quality of education: Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding
Personal development: Outstanding
Leadership and management: Outstanding

Safeguarding effective: Yes

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 317 pupils

Attainment 8

54.0

England 46.1

Grade 5+ Eng & maths

62.1%

England 45.4%

Grade 4+ Eng & maths

76.7%

England 64.8%

Progress 8

+0.17

2023/24 · CI 0.01 to 0.33

This school

Halton

42.1

England

46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

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Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made

343

1st preferences

393

All applications

735

1st prefs per place

1.15

More first choices than places

341 of 393 first-preference applicants were offered a place (87%). 1 offers went to families living in another council area.

Oversubscribed with first preferences

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils

1,618

Capacity

1,625

102% full

Girls / boys

51/49

Mixed

Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)27%
English as an additional language4.5%
SEN support8.7%
Education, Health and Care plan2.7%
The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.