School profile

Kirkby High School

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Liverpool, L32 9PP

Good

Map showing Kirkby High School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#3,130 of 3,312

Worse than 94% of schools in England

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

Kirkby High School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 12 Jul 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 sponsor led
Ages11 to 16
Pupils1,042
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Anna Dobson
TrustTHE ROWAN LEARNING TRUST
Local authorityKnowsley
Opened01 Sept 2013
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 140001.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolKnowsleyEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.34.8, worse than England, similar to Knowsley34.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.41.5%, worse than England, similar to Knowsley44%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.24.1%, worse than England, similar to Knowsley24.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.1.5%, worse than England, worse than Knowsley4.1%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths37.4%, worse than England, similar to Knowsley38.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4195--

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 pupils1,042
Girls507
Boys535
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.59.2%
First language not English7.3%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,000
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.205
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.48
Average class size22.6

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
88.2%
Other White
3.6%
Other ethnic group
1.6%
Other mixed
1.1%
African
1.1%
White and Black African
1%
Other Black
1%
White and Black Caribbean
0.5%
White and Asian
0.5%
Other Asian
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 teacher15.1
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.9.3
Teachers (FTE)69
Teaching assistants (FTE)33.86
Support staff (FTE)52.3
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2565.7
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2559.9
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/252.8

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.195
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.382
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.158
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.150
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)32

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 schoolKnowsleyEngland
Overall absence13.3%, worse than England, worse than Knowsley10.9%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.37.4%, worse than England, worse than Knowsley31.7%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.6.6%, worse than England, worse than Knowsley5.3%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 rate21.5%
Pupils with one or more suspensions10.8%
Permanent exclusion rate0.5%
Permanent exclusions5

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.76.6%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.71.1%
Further education54.3%
Sixth form college12.7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.12.7%
School sixth form3.6%
Apprenticeship3%
Employment2.5%

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 Kirkby High School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimarySt Joseph the Worker Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.5 miPrimarySt Laurence's Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryPark Brow Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement
0.8 miPrimaryKirkby CofE Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.9 miPrimarySt Michael and All Angels Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Requires improvement
0.9 miPrimaryMillbrook Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.9 miPrimaryNorthwood Community Primary School (With Designated Special Provision)Community school
Good
0.9 miSecondaryAll Saints Catholic High SchoolVoluntary aided school
Requires improvement
0.9 miPrimaryWestvale Primary SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement
1.1 miPrimaryOur Lady and St Swithin's Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Kirkby High School

What is Kirkby High School's Ofsted rating?

Kirkby High School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 12 Jul 2022.

How does Kirkby High School rank in England?

Kirkby High School ranks 3,130 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 94% of schools).

What are Kirkby High School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 24.1% of pupils at Kirkby High School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 34.8 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into Kirkby High School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Kirkby High School made 195 offers from 382 applications (2 per offer), and 150 of 158 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Kirkby High School?

Kirkby High School has 1,042 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of Kirkby High School?

Kirkby High School had 1,000 school places in 2024/25.

Does Kirkby High School have a sixth form?

No, Kirkby High School teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at Kirkby High School?

At Kirkby High School, the average class had 22.6 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.1 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Kirkby High School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Kirkby High School missed 13.3% of sessions (England 8%), and 37.4% 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.