School profile

The Winsford Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Winsford, CW7 2BT

Inadequate

Map showing The Winsford Academy

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#3,229 of 3,312

Worse than 97% of schools in England

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

The Winsford Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 15 Jul 2025

Area360 rating
Inadequate
Quality of education
Inadequate
Behaviour and attitudes
Inadequate
Personal development
Requires improvement
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 16
Pupils945
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMs Emma-Jane McLaren
TrustHALLIARD TRUST
Local authorityCheshire West and Chester
Opened01 Sept 2010
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136184.

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.32, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester45.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.39.6%, 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.18.9%, 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.2.3%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester12.4%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths31.8%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester58.4%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4217--

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

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils945
Girls473
Boys472
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.43%
First language not English4.9%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,312
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.28%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.166
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.58
Average class size23.6

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
84.4%
Other White
1.3%
Other mixed
1.2%
Other Asian
1.1%
African
1.1%
Irish
0.6%
White and Asian
0.5%
Indian
0.4%
Other Black
0.4%
Other ethnic group
0.3%

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 teacher17.2
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10.7
Teachers (FTE)55.1
Teaching assistants (FTE)14.9
Support staff (FTE)50.49
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2565.2
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2551
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/255
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/259.2

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.130
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.145
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.106
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.106
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 absence16.3%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester8.9%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.43.6%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester23.6%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.11.3%, 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 rate119.2%
Pupils with one or more suspensions22.9%
Permanent exclusion rate0.4%
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.86.6%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.80.4%
Further education72.7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.10.3%
Sixth form college4.6%
Apprenticeship4.1%
School sixth form2.1%
Employment2.1%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 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 Winsford Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimaryGrange Community Nursery and Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.3 miPrimaryWinsford High Street Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryOver St John's CofE Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
0.5 miPrimarySt Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimaryThe Oak View AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.8 miPrimarySt. Chad's Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryOver Hall Community SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miPrimaryDarnhall Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.1 miNot applicableJefferson HouseOther independent school
Outstanding
1.1 miPrimaryWharton CofE Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Winsford Academy

What is The Winsford Academy's Ofsted rating?

The Winsford Academy is rated Inadequate, last inspected on 15 Jul 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does The Winsford Academy rank in England?

The Winsford Academy ranks 3,229 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 97% of schools).

What are The Winsford Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 18.9% of pupils at The Winsford Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 32 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into The Winsford Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Winsford Academy made 130 offers from 145 applications (1.1 per offer), and 106 of 106 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Winsford Academy?

The Winsford Academy has 945 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of The Winsford Academy?

The Winsford Academy had 1,312 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Winsford Academy have a sixth form?

No, The Winsford Academy teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at The Winsford Academy?

At The Winsford Academy, the average class had 23.6 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 17.2 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Winsford Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Winsford Academy missed 16.3% of sessions (England 8%), and 43.6% 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.