School profile

Saint Ambrose College

Secondary · Academy converter · Altrincham, WA15 0HE

Outstanding

Map showing Saint Ambrose College

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#90 of 3,312

Better than 97% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#184 of 2,536

Better than 92% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Saint Ambrose College Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 25 Nov 2025

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

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,096
GenderBoys
Religious characterRoman Catholic
Admissions policySelective
Head teacherDermot Rainey
TrustTHE LAETARE CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityTrafford
Opened01 May 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 138134.

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.72.3, better than England, better than Trafford57.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.100%, better than England, better than Trafford78.2%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.99.3%, better than England, better than Trafford64.4%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.53.3%, better than England, better than Trafford31.7%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths100%, better than England, better than Trafford75.6%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4150--

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 10.44.54, better than England, better than Trafford41.135
Average A-level gradeB+--
Average points, best three A-levels44.6, better than England, better than Trafford41.435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB+--
AAB or better39.7%, better than England, better than Trafford33.6%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.17, better than England--
A-level progressAbove average, better than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study128--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.z--

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 pupils1,096
Girls0
Boys1,096
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.6.5%
First language not English9.3%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,050
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
Sixth form places2024/25300
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.53
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.8
Average class size23.7

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
49.2%
African
15.3%
Indian
10.7%
Other White
4.3%
Irish
3.3%
Chinese
3%
Other Black
2.7%
Other mixed
2.6%
White and Asian
2%
Other Asian
1.6%

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 teacher18.9
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.15.1
Teachers (FTE)58.1
Teaching assistants (FTE)5.3
Support staff (FTE)35.25
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2559.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2553.5
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/251.5
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/254.6

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.149
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.458
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.223
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.137
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)158

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 absence3.5%, better than England, better than Trafford6%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.5.2%, better than England, better than Trafford14.2%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.0.5%, better than England, better than 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 rate4.9%
Pupils with one or more suspensions4.1%
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.99.4%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.98.9%
School sixth form84.8%
Sixth form college11.2%
Further education2.2%
Apprenticeship0.6%
Employment0%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.0%

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.93.2%
Higher education78.9%
Employment7.5%
Apprenticeship6.8%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3%
Further education0%

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 Saint Ambrose College
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miNot applicableSt Ambrose Prep SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.4 miPrimaryWell Green Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryElmridge Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miSecondaryAltrincham CollegeAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miNot applicableHale Preparatory SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
1.2 miPrimaryStamford Park Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.4 miSecondaryAltrincham Grammar School for BoysAcademy converter
Outstanding
1.4 miPrimaryCloverlea Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.4 miNot applicableAltrincham Preparatory SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
1.5 miSecondaryBlessed Thomas Holford Catholic CollegeVoluntary aided school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Saint Ambrose College

What is Saint Ambrose College's Ofsted rating?

Saint Ambrose College is rated Outstanding, last inspected on 25 Nov 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Saint Ambrose College rank in England?

Saint Ambrose College ranks 90 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 97% of schools) and 184 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 92% of schools).

What are Saint Ambrose College's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 99.3% of pupils at Saint Ambrose College got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 72.3 (England 46.2).

What are Saint Ambrose College's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Saint Ambrose College was B+, and 39.7% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Saint Ambrose College?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Saint Ambrose College made 149 offers from 458 applications (3.1 per offer), and 137 of 223 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Saint Ambrose College?

Saint Ambrose College has 1,096 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Saint Ambrose College?

Saint Ambrose College had 1,050 school places in 2024/25.

Does Saint Ambrose College have a sixth form?

Yes, Saint Ambrose College has a sixth form with 300 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Saint Ambrose College?

At Saint Ambrose College, the average class had 23.7 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 18.9 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Saint Ambrose College?

In 2025/26, pupils at Saint Ambrose College missed 3.5% of sessions (England 8%), and 5.2% 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.