School profile

Ashton-on-Mersey School

Secondary · Academy converter · Sale, M33 5BP

Good

Map showing Ashton-on-Mersey School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#682 of 3,312

Better than 79% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#2,247 of 2,536

Worse than 88% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Ashton-on-Mersey School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 22 Jan 2019

Ofsted rating
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 19
Pupils1,609
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Lee McConaghie
TrustTHE DEAN TRUST
Local authorityTrafford
Opened01 May 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 138123.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolTraffordEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.52.6, better than England, worse than Trafford57.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.79.3%, better than England, similar to Trafford78.2%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.59.8%, better than England, worse than Trafford64.4%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.18.4%, better than England, worse than Trafford31.7%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths72.7%, better than England, similar to Trafford75.6%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4256--

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 schoolTraffordEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.25.61, worse than England, worse than Trafford41.135
Average A-level gradeC---
Average points, best three A-levels25.46, worse than England, worse than Trafford41.435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC---
AAB or better1.7%, worse than England, worse than Trafford33.6%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.2, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study144--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist--

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 pupils1,609
Girls712
Boys897
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.14.4%
First language not English15.5%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,579
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
Sixth form places2024/25246
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.291
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.60
Average class size23.4

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
65%
Chinese
5.8%
Other White
3.7%
Other ethnic group
3.4%
Pakistani
3.1%
African
2.7%
Other mixed
2.5%
Indian
2.3%
White and Black Caribbean
2.2%
White and Asian
1.5%

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 teacher16
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.4
Teachers (FTE)100.6
Teaching assistants (FTE)17.91
Support staff (FTE)47.29
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2590.2
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2582.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253
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.269
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.1,043
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.275
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.236
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)31

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 schoolTraffordEngland
Overall absence5.4%, better than England, better than Trafford6%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.11.5%, better than England, better than Trafford14.2%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.4%, better than England, similar to Trafford2.2%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 rate2.8%
Pupils with one or more suspensions1.4%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions1

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.94.5%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.91%
School sixth form38.8%
Further education31%
Sixth form college20.8%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.4.3%
Apprenticeship2.4%
Employment1.2%

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.94.6%
Employment55.4%
Higher education21.6%
Apprenticeship14.9%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.2.7%
Further education1.4%

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 Ashton-on-Mersey School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.4 miPrimarySt Mary's CofE Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.5 miPrimaryWoodheys Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.5 miNot applicableForest Park Preparatory SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.6 miPrimaryFirs Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.6 miPrimaryTyntesfield Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimaryWellfield Infant and Nursery SchoolCommunity school
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimaryBrooklands Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryWellfield Junior SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimarySt Margaret Ward Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryPark Road Sale Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding

Frequently asked questions about Ashton-on-Mersey School

What is Ashton-on-Mersey School's Ofsted rating?

Ashton-on-Mersey School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 22 Jan 2019.

How does Ashton-on-Mersey School rank in England?

Ashton-on-Mersey School ranks 682 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 79% of schools) and 2,247 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 88% of schools).

What are Ashton-on-Mersey School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 59.8% of pupils at Ashton-on-Mersey School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 52.6 (England 46.2).

What are Ashton-on-Mersey School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Ashton-on-Mersey School was C-, and 1.7% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Ashton-on-Mersey School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Ashton-on-Mersey School made 269 offers from 1,043 applications (3.9 per offer), and 236 of 275 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Ashton-on-Mersey School?

Ashton-on-Mersey School has 1,609 pupils aged 11 to 19.

What is the capacity of Ashton-on-Mersey School?

Ashton-on-Mersey School had 1,579 school places in 2024/25.

Does Ashton-on-Mersey School have a sixth form?

Yes, Ashton-on-Mersey School has a sixth form with 246 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Ashton-on-Mersey School?

At Ashton-on-Mersey School, the average class had 23.4 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Ashton-on-Mersey School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Ashton-on-Mersey School missed 5.4% of sessions (England 8%), and 11.5% 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.