School profile

The Sutton Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · St Helens, WA9 5AU

Good

Map showing The Sutton Academy

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,739 of 3,312

Similar to most schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#2,379 of 2,536

Worse than 93% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

The Sutton Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 16 Jun 2026

Area360 rating
Good
Inclusion
Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching
Strong standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Strong standard
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Post-16 provision
Expected standard
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,441 of 1,550 places
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMs Lynsey Gobin
TrustTHE CHALLENGE ACADEMY TRUST
Local authoritySt. Helens
Opened01 Sept 2010
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136141.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolSt. HelensEngland
Attainment 8 score45.543.646.2
Grade 4 or above in English and maths66.8%61.2%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and maths45.6%41%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and maths9.7%9.2%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths59.8%56.7%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4259--

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 schoolSt. HelensEngland
Average points per A-level entry23.3336.6435
Average A-level gradeD+--
Average points, best three A-levels23.8938.335.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsD+--
AAB or better0%19.2%17.5%
A-level progress score-0.93--
A-level progressWell below average--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study50--
Average applied general gradeMerit+--

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

Pupils

2025/26
MeasureThis school
Pupils1,441
Girls718
Boys723
Eligible for free school meals38%
First language not English6.2%
SEN support293
EHC plan77
Average class size20.5

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

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Pupils ethnicity

White British
88.8%
Other White
3.9%
African
1.4%
White and Asian
1%
Other Asian
0.8%
Chinese
0.8%
Other ethnic group
0.8%
White and Black African
0.6%
Other mixed
0.6%
Other Black
0.6%

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

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed. Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means missing 50% or more.

MeasureThis schoolSt. HelensEngland
Overall absence9.5%8.7%8%
Persistent absence24.6%22.1%21.6%
Severe absence4.4%4.2%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 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)255
Applications (Year 7)525
First preference applications (Year 7)298
First preference offers (Year 7)254
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)19

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

Capacity

2024/25
MeasureThis school
School places1,550
Pupils on roll1,444
Unfilled places6.8%
Sixth form places200
Sixth form pupils on roll114

Source: DfE, School capacity, Academic year 2024/25, published 19 Mar 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26
MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher15.8
Pupils per adult11.9
Teachers (FTE)91.4
Teaching assistants (FTE)16.15
Support staff (FTE)51.62
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2595.8
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2581.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/254
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/2510.6

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

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25
MeasureThis school
Suspension rate44.9%
Pupils with one or more suspensions10.5%
Permanent exclusion rate0.3%
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 destination86.7%
Staying in education81.7%
Further education43.7%
School sixth form30.4%
Not sustained9.5%
Sixth form college7.6%
Apprenticeship3.4%
Employment1.5%

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 destination83.6%
Higher education46.6%
Employment20.5%
Not sustained15.1%
Apprenticeship11%
Further education2.7%

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 Sutton Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.5 miPrimaryEaves Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.5 miPrimarySherdley Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miPrimarySt John Vianney Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.8 miPrimarySt Theresa's Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryWillow Tree Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement
0.9 miPrimarySutton Manor Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimaryRobins Lane Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimarySt Anne's Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
1.1 miPrimaryThatto Heath Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.3 miPrimaryNutgrove Methodist Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement

Frequently asked questions about The Sutton Academy

What is The Sutton Academy's Ofsted rating?

The Sutton Academy is rated Good, last inspected on 16 Jun 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does The Sutton Academy rank in England?

The Sutton Academy ranks 1,739 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (similar to most schools) and 2,379 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 93% of schools).

How many pupils attend The Sutton Academy?

The Sutton Academy has 1,441 pupils aged 11 to 18, with capacity for 1,550.

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.