School profile

The Rudheath Senior Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Northwich, CW9 7DT

Good

Map showing The Rudheath Senior Academy

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#3,224 of 3,312

Worse than 97% of schools in England

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

The Rudheath Senior Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 10 Jan 2018

Ofsted rating
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 16
Pupils576
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Christine Williams
TrustNORTH WEST ACADEMIES TRUST LIMITED
Local authorityCheshire West and Chester
Opened01 Jan 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137582.

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.32.2, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester45.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.35.7%, 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.19.1%, 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.3.5%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester12.4%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths27%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester58.4%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4115--

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 pupils576
Girls290
Boys286
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.36.3%
First language not English6.9%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.840
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.31.4%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.107
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.31
Average class size24.6

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
88.4%
Other White
3.6%
African
1.7%
Other Asian
1.4%
Other mixed
1%
White and Black Caribbean
0.9%
Chinese
0.7%
Other ethnic group
0.7%
White and Black African
0.5%
Indian
0.5%

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 teacher17.5
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.2
Teachers (FTE)32.97
Teaching assistants (FTE)8.61
Support staff (FTE)26.96
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2532.7
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2526.1
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/253.6

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.116
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.167
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.108
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.108
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)5

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 absence12.1%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester8.9%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.33.3%, worse than England, worse than Cheshire West and Chester23.6%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.7.3%, 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 rate61%
Pupils with one or more suspensions17.6%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

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.83.7%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.72.1%
Further education49%
Sixth form college22.1%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.9.6%
Apprenticeship8.7%
Employment2.9%
School sixth form1%

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 Rudheath Senior Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.4 miPrimaryRudheath Primary Academy and NurseryAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.7 miNot applicableOneSchool Global NorthwichOther independent school
Unrated
0.8 miPrimaryVictoria Road Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miPrimaryWitton Church Walk CofE Aided Nursery and Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
1.3 miPrimaryLostock Gralam CofE Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.3 miPrimaryLeftwich Community Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.4 mi16 plusSir John Deane's Sixth Form CollegeAcademy 16-19 converter
Unrated
1.4 miSecondaryThe County High School, LeftwichAcademy converter
Good
1.6 miPrimaryCharles Darwin Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.8 miPrimaryKingsmead Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Rudheath Senior Academy

What is The Rudheath Senior Academy's Ofsted rating?

The Rudheath Senior Academy is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 10 Jan 2018.

How does The Rudheath Senior Academy rank in England?

The Rudheath Senior Academy ranks 3,224 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 97% of schools).

What are The Rudheath Senior Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 19.1% of pupils at The Rudheath Senior Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 32.2 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into The Rudheath Senior Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Rudheath Senior Academy made 116 offers from 167 applications (1.4 per offer), and 108 of 108 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Rudheath Senior Academy?

The Rudheath Senior Academy has 576 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of The Rudheath Senior Academy?

The Rudheath Senior Academy had 840 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Rudheath Senior Academy have a sixth form?

No, The Rudheath Senior Academy teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at The Rudheath Senior Academy?

At The Rudheath Senior Academy, the average class had 24.6 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 17.5 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Rudheath Senior Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Rudheath Senior Academy missed 12.1% 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.