SecondaryState · Academy sponsor led

Padgate Academy

Insall Road, Warrington, WA2 0LN ·

Ofsted:Good· 2023

At a glance

A state secondary academy for ages 11–16 in Warrington. Rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection (May 2023). GCSE results are below the England average (Attainment 8: 39.4 vs 46.1, 2024/25). 121 families put it first for 160 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages: 11–16
Pupils: 661
Gender: Mixed
Sixth form: No
Admissions: Non-selective
Local authority: Warrington
Academy trust: THE CHALLENGE ACADEMY TRUST
Headteacher: Mr Adam McMillan
Opened: Dec 2018

School website 01925822632 Explore the area

Inspection

Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)

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Graded inspection 23 May 2023

GoodOverall effectiveness

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

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 · 112 pupils

Attainment 8

39.4

England 46.1

Grade 5+ Eng & maths

29.5%

England 45.4%

Grade 4+ Eng & maths

57.1%

England 64.8%

Progress 8

-0.66

2023/24 · CI -0.92 to -0.4

This school

39.4

Warrington

48.5

England

46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Earlier years include results published for this school's predecessor (URN 139072), for example before it converted to an academy.

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

160

1st preferences

121

All applications

307

1st prefs per place

0.76

Fewer first choices than places

121 of 121 first-preference applicants were offered a place (100%). 2 offers went to families living in another council area.

Earlier years include data recorded for this school's predecessor.

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

642

Capacity

750

88% full

Girls / boys

52/48

Mixed

Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)50.6%
English as an additional language25.2%
SEN support20.1%
Education, Health and Care plan6.7%
The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.