School profile

The Whitby High School

Secondary · Foundation school · Ellesmere Port, CH66 2NU

Requires improvement

Map showing The Whitby High School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,783 of 3,312

Worse than 83% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#1,805 of 2,536

Worse than 71% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

The Whitby High School Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 23 Jun 2026

Area360 rating
Requires improvement
Inclusion
Needs attention
Curriculum and teaching
Needs attention
Achievement
Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour
Needs attention
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Post-16 provision
Expected standard
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeFoundation school
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,398
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Geraldine Fraser
TrustSeahorse Educational Trust
Local authorityCheshire West and Chester
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 111429.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolCheshire West and ChesterEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.39, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester45.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.49.4%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester63.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.31.5%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester43.1%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.3.7%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester12.4%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths43.4%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester58.4%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4267--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolCheshire West and ChesterEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.30.1, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester38.1135
Average A-level gradeC--
Average points, best three A-levels34, similar to England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester39.4235.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better20%, similar to England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester23.2%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.08, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study94--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,398
Girls706
Boys692
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.25.9%
First language not English8.2%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,836
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.23.9%
Sixth form places2024/25336
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.98
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.50
Average class size19.3

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
88.6%
Other White
3.6%
African
1.4%
Other Asian
1%
Other ethnic group
1%
Chinese
0.9%
White and Black African
0.6%
White and Asian
0.6%
Other mixed
0.6%
White and Black Caribbean
0.4%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher14.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.9.8
Teachers (FTE)97.77
Teaching assistants (FTE)22.3
Support staff (FTE)76.17
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2595.3
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2584.7
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/257.6

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.196
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.368
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.185
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.185
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)3

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolCheshire West and ChesterEngland
Overall absence12.2%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester8.9%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.33.1%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester23.6%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.6.6%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester4.3%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate26.3%
Pupils with one or more suspensions9.1%
Permanent exclusion rate0.3%
Permanent exclusions5

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.89.7%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.72.5%
Further education41.8%
School sixth form23.4%
Employment8.8%
Apprenticeship8.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.7%
Sixth form college7%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.92.1%
Higher education44.7%
Employment39.5%
Apprenticeship6.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.6.6%
Further education1.3%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near The Whitby High School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimaryWoodlands Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryEllesmere Port Christ Church CofE Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.5 miPrimaryWhitby Heath Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.5 miPrimaryOur Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.5 miSecondaryEllesmere Port Catholic High School, a Voluntary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Requires improvement
0.6 miPrimaryMeadow Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miPrimarySt Saviour's Catholic Primary and Nursery School, A Voluntary AcademyAcademy converter
Unrated
0.9 miPrimaryThe Oaks Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement
1.0 miSecondaryEllesmere Port Church of England CollegeAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.0 miPrimaryBrookside Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Whitby High School

What is The Whitby High School's Ofsted rating?

The Whitby High School is rated Requires improvement, last inspected on 23 Jun 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does The Whitby High School rank in England?

The Whitby High School ranks 2,783 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 83% of schools) and 1,805 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 71% of schools).

What are The Whitby High School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 31.5% of pupils at The Whitby High School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 39 (England 46.2).

What are The Whitby High School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at The Whitby High School was C, and 20% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into The Whitby High School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Whitby High School made 196 offers from 368 applications (1.9 per offer), and 185 of 185 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Whitby High School?

The Whitby High School has 1,398 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of The Whitby High School?

The Whitby High School had 1,836 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Whitby High School have a sixth form?

Yes, The Whitby High School has a sixth form with 336 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at The Whitby High School?

At The Whitby High School, the average class had 19.3 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 14.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Whitby High School?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Whitby High School missed 12.2% of sessions (England 8%), and 33.1% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.