School profile

West Hill School

Secondary · Academy converter · Stalybridge, SK15 1LX

Requires improvement

Map showing West Hill School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,150 of 3,312

Worse than 64% of schools in England

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

West Hill School Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 21 Apr 2026

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

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 16
Pupils852
GenderBoys
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherClaire Cronin
TrustWEST HILL SCHOOL
Local authorityTameside
Opened01 Aug 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137020.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolTamesideEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.43.2, worse than England, similar to Tameside43.746.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.66.5%, similar to England, similar to Tameside63.6%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.35.3%, worse than England, worse than Tameside43.3%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.5.3%, worse than England, worse than Tameside10.4%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths57.6%, similar to England, similar to Tameside57.3%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4170--

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 pupils852
Girls0
Boys852
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.30.5%
First language not English5.3%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.825
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.147
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.31
Average class size21.6

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
79%
Pakistani
8.6%
Indian
2.3%
White and Asian
2%
Other Asian
1.8%
African
1.8%
Bangladeshi
0.9%
Other mixed
0.8%
Other White
0.7%
White and Black African
0.7%

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 teacher17.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.8
Teachers (FTE)49.24
Teaching assistants (FTE)12.85
Support staff (FTE)33.02
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2548.2
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2540.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/255
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/253

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.161
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.413
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.201
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.152
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)8

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 schoolTamesideEngland
Overall absence7.4%, better than England, better than Tameside8.6%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.20.5%, similar to England, better than Tameside23.3%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2%, better than England, better than Tameside4.3%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 rate19.7%
Pupils with one or more suspensions7%
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.94.4%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.88.8%
Sixth form college50.6%
Further education37.5%
Apprenticeship4.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.1%
Employment1.3%
School sixth form0.6%

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 West Hill School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.4 miPrimaryDixons Silver Springs PrimaryAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.4 miNot applicableTrinity SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.5 miPrimaryGorse Hall Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy converter
Unrated
0.6 mi16 plusAshton Sixth Form CollegeAcademy 16-19 converter
Unrated
0.7 miPrimarySt. Peter's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimaryInspire AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.8 miPrimaryParochial CofE Primary and Nursery School, Ashton-under-LyneAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miPrimaryArlies Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimarySt John's CofE Primary School, DukinfieldVoluntary controlled school
Requires improvement
0.8 miPrimarySt Paul's CofE Primary School, StalybridgeAcademy sponsor led
Good

Frequently asked questions about West Hill School

What is West Hill School's Ofsted rating?

West Hill School is rated Requires improvement, last inspected on 21 Apr 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does West Hill School rank in England?

West Hill School ranks 2,150 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 64% of schools).

What are West Hill School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 35.3% of pupils at West Hill School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 43.2 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into West Hill School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, West Hill School made 161 offers from 413 applications (2.6 per offer), and 152 of 201 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend West Hill School?

West Hill School has 852 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of West Hill School?

West Hill School had 825 school places in 2024/25.

Does West Hill School have a sixth form?

No, West Hill School teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at West Hill School?

At West Hill School, the average class had 21.6 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 17.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at West Hill School?

In 2025/26, pupils at West Hill School missed 7.4% of sessions (England 8%), and 20.5% 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.