School profile

The Byrchall High School

Secondary · Academy converter · Wigan, WN4 9PQ

Good

Map showing The Byrchall High School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,206 of 3,312

Worse than 66% of schools in England

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

The Byrchall High School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 13 Sept 2022

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 16
Pupils1,138
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Philippe Paul
TrustMAKERFIELD ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityWigan
Opened01 Sept 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 138699.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolWiganEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.42.8, worse than England, worse than Wigan45.146.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.57.4%, worse than England, worse than Wigan63.9%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.38.1%, worse than England, worse than Wigan43%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.12.9%, similar to England, better than Wigan10.4%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths52.5%, worse than England, worse than Wigan59.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4202--

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 pupils1,138
Girls557
Boys581
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.33.7%
First language not English7.5%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,299
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.12.4%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.198
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.50
Average class size23.5

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
86.2%
Other White
3.4%
Chinese
2.3%
African
1.8%
Other ethnic group
1%
White and Black African
0.8%
White and Asian
0.8%
Other Asian
0.8%
Other mixed
0.7%
Caribbean
0.4%

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 teacher16.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.4
Teachers (FTE)69.9
Teaching assistants (FTE)18.93
Support staff (FTE)45.41
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2553.3
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2543.8
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/256
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/253.5

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.250
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.721
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.315
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.240
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)200

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 schoolWiganEngland
Overall absence8%, similar to England, similar to Wigan8%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.20%, similar to England, similar to Wigan21.3%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.6%, similar to England, similar to Wigan3.4%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 rate6.7%
Pupils with one or more suspensions4.2%
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.89.6%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.84%
Further education45.6%
Sixth form college37.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.2%
Apprenticeship4.4%
Employment1.2%
School sixth form0.8%

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 Byrchall High School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miSecondarySt Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-MakerfieldVoluntary aided school
Outstanding
0.4 miPrimarySt Oswald's Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.6 miPrimaryR L Hughes Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miPrimarySt Thomas CofE Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.9 miSecondaryCansfield High SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.1 miPrimarySt Wilfrids Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
1.1 miPrimaryNicol Mere SchoolCommunity school
Outstanding
1.2 miPrimaryHaydock English Martyrs' Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
1.3 miPrimarySt James' Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.5 miPrimaryBryn St Peter's CofE Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Byrchall High School

What is The Byrchall High School's Ofsted rating?

The Byrchall High School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 13 Sept 2022.

How does The Byrchall High School rank in England?

The Byrchall High School ranks 2,206 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 66% of schools).

What are The Byrchall High School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 38.1% of pupils at The Byrchall High School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 42.8 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into The Byrchall High School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Byrchall High School made 250 offers from 721 applications (2.9 per offer), and 240 of 315 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Byrchall High School?

The Byrchall High School has 1,138 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of The Byrchall High School?

The Byrchall High School had 1,299 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Byrchall High School have a sixth form?

No, The Byrchall High School teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at The Byrchall High School?

At The Byrchall High School, the average class had 23.5 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Byrchall High School?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Byrchall High School missed 8% of sessions (England 8%), and 20% 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.