School profile

Helsby High School

Secondary · Community school · Frodsham, WA6 0HY

Good

Map showing Helsby High School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,538 of 3,312

Similar to most schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#1,993 of 2,536

Worse than 78% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Helsby High School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 4 Feb 2014

Ofsted rating
Good
Leadership and management
Good

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeCommunity school
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,211
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Martin Hill
Local authorityCheshire West and Chester
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 111440.

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.46.6, similar to England, similar to Cheshire West and Chester45.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.70.6%, better than England, better than Cheshire West and Chester63.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.46.9%, similar to England, better than Cheshire West and Chester43.1%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.6.7%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester12.4%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths63.4%, better than England, better than Cheshire West and Chester58.4%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4194--

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 10.28.5, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester38.1135
Average A-level gradeC--
Average points, best three A-levels31.57, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester39.4235.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC--
AAB or better11.8%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester23.2%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.2, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study91--
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 pupils1,211
Girls596
Boys615
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.15.5%
First language not English2.1%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,378
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.12.1%
Sixth form places2024/25253
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.205
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.25
Average class size20.7

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
87.2%
Other White
1.9%
Other mixed
1.6%
White and Asian
0.8%
Irish
0.7%
Chinese
0.5%
Other ethnic group
0.4%
White and Black Caribbean
0.3%
African
0.3%
White and Black African
0.2%

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 teacher15.7
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.6
Teachers (FTE)77.16
Teaching assistants (FTE)10.79
Support staff (FTE)42.55
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2579
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2576.5
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/251
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/251.5

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.199
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.273
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.189
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.189
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)52

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 absence8.6%, worse than England, similar to Cheshire West and Chester8.9%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.24.4%, worse than England, similar to Cheshire West and Chester23.6%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.8%, similar to England, similar to 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 rate16.4%
Pupils with one or more suspensions5.3%
Permanent exclusion rate0.2%
Permanent exclusions2

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.93.5%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.90%
School sixth form35.5%
Further education26.8%
Sixth form college26.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.9%
Apprenticeship2.6%
Employment0.9%

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.91.8%
Higher education57.5%
Employment21.9%
Apprenticeship12.3%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.6.8%
Further education0%

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 Helsby High School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.3 miPrimaryHelsby Hillside Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.3 miPrimaryAlvanley and Manley Village SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.5 miPrimaryFrodsham CofE Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
1.6 miPrimaryHorn's Mill Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.6 miPrimarySt Luke's Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Helsby High School

What is Helsby High School's Ofsted rating?

Helsby High School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 4 Feb 2014.

How does Helsby High School rank in England?

Helsby High School ranks 1,538 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (similar to most schools) and 1,993 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 78% of schools).

What are Helsby High School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 46.9% of pupils at Helsby High School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 46.6 (England 46.2).

What are Helsby High School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Helsby High School was C, and 11.8% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Helsby High School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Helsby High School made 199 offers from 273 applications (1.4 per offer), and 189 of 189 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Helsby High School?

Helsby High School has 1,211 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Helsby High School?

Helsby High School had 1,378 school places in 2024/25.

Does Helsby High School have a sixth form?

Yes, Helsby High School has a sixth form with 253 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Helsby High School?

At Helsby High School, the average class had 20.7 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.7 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Helsby High School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Helsby High School missed 8.6% of sessions (England 8%), and 24.4% 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.