School profile

Norton Canes High School

Secondary · Community school · Cannock, WS11 9SP

Requires improvement

Map showing Norton Canes High School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,087 of 3,312

Worse than 62% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#2,516 of 2,536

Worse than 99% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Norton Canes High School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 30 Apr 2024

Ofsted rating
Requires improvement
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal development
Requires improvement
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Sixth form provision
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeCommunity school
Ages11 to 18
Pupils400
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Sarah Diggory
Local authorityStaffordshire
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 124395.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolStaffordshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.43.5, worse than England, similar to Staffordshire43.446.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.60.8%, worse than England, similar to Staffordshire60.2%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.35.4%, worse than England, worse than Staffordshire39.8%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.6.3%, worse than England, worse than Staffordshire8.8%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths51.9%, worse than England, worse than Staffordshire55.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 479--

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 schoolStaffordshireEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.15.22, worse than England, worse than Staffordshire33.4335
Average A-level gradeD---
Average grade, best three A-levelsc--
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-1.03, worse than England--
A-level progressWell below average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study18--
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 pupils400
Girls183
Boys217
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.39.3%
First language not English1.3%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.687
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.41.8%
Sixth form places2024/2566
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.65
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.29
Average class size14.8

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
95.8%
Other White
1.3%
White and Black Caribbean
1%
White and Asian
0.8%
Other Asian
0.5%
White and Black African
0.3%
Other mixed
0.3%
Chinese
0.3%
Irish
0%
Traveller of Irish heritage
0%

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 teacher11.7
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.7.9
Teachers (FTE)34.16
Teaching assistants (FTE)5.66
Support staff (FTE)24.97
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2536.2
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2530.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/251
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/255

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.76
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.130
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.69
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.69
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)6

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 schoolStaffordshireEngland
Overall absence9.8%, worse than England, worse than Staffordshire7.3%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.33.3%, worse than England, worse than Staffordshire19.8%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.6%, worse than England, worse than Staffordshire2.8%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 rate33.7%
Pupils with one or more suspensions10.3%
Permanent exclusion rate0.9%
Permanent exclusions4

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.91%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.84.6%
Further education48.7%
School sixth form35.9%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.7%
Employment3.8%
Apprenticeship2.6%
Sixth form college0%

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.80%
Higher education52%
Employment24%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.20%
Further education4%
Apprenticeship0%

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 Norton Canes High School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimaryNorton Canes Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.7 miPrimaryJerome Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.1 miPrimaryHeath Hayes Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.3 miPrimaryGorsemoor Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.3 miPrimaryHolly Grove Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
1.3 miPrimaryFive Ways Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.4 miPrimarySt Joseph & St Theresa Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.4 miPrimaryChase Terrace Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good
1.5 miSecondaryChase Terrace AcademyAcademy converter
Good
1.5 miSecondaryErasmus Darwin AcademyAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Norton Canes High School

What is Norton Canes High School's Ofsted rating?

Norton Canes High School is rated Requires improvement by Ofsted, last inspected on 30 Apr 2024.

How does Norton Canes High School rank in England?

Norton Canes High School ranks 2,087 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 62% of schools) and 2,516 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 99% of schools).

What are Norton Canes High School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 35.4% of pupils at Norton Canes High School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 43.5 (England 46.2).

What are Norton Canes High School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Norton Canes High School was D-.

How hard is it to get into Norton Canes High School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Norton Canes High School made 76 offers from 130 applications (1.7 per offer), and 69 of 69 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Norton Canes High School?

Norton Canes High School has 400 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Norton Canes High School?

Norton Canes High School had 687 school places in 2024/25.

Does Norton Canes High School have a sixth form?

Yes, Norton Canes High School has a sixth form with 66 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Norton Canes High School?

At Norton Canes High School, the average class had 14.8 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 11.7 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Norton Canes High School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Norton Canes High School missed 9.8% of sessions (England 8%), and 33.3% 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.