School profile

St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy

Secondary · Academy converter · Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 6LZ

Good

Map showing St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,288 of 3,312

Worse than 69% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#2,049 of 2,536

Worse than 80% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 27 Jan 2026

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

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,143
GenderMixed
Religious characterRoman Catholic
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Dominic McKenna
TrustST GABRIEL THE ARCHANGEL CATHOLIC MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityStoke-on-Trent
Opened01 Sept 2013
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 140149.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolStoke-on-TrentEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.42.3, worse than England, better than Stoke-on-Trent39.446.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.58.3%, worse than England, better than Stoke-on-Trent52.8%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.39.7%, worse than England, better than Stoke-on-Trent33.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.9.3%, worse than England, similar to Stoke-on-Trent7.3%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths52.5%, worse than England, better than Stoke-on-Trent48%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4204--

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 schoolStoke-on-TrentEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.27.91, worse than England, worse than Stoke-on-Trent33.2835
Average A-level gradeC---
Average points, best three A-levels31.36, worse than England, worse than Stoke-on-Trent33.9535.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC--
AAB or better13.6%, worse than England, similar to Stoke-on-Trent14.4%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.45, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study61--
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 pupils1,143
Girls582
Boys561
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.36%
First language not English32.3%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,200
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.4.8%
Sixth form places2024/25200
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.109
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.36
Average class size21.2

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
48.2%
Pakistani
18.3%
African
9.7%
Other White
6.3%
Other Asian
4%
Indian
2.9%
Other ethnic group
1.9%
White and Asian
1.7%
Bangladeshi
1.2%
Other Black
1.2%

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 teacher15.7
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.1
Teachers (FTE)72.84
Teaching assistants (FTE)20.72
Support staff (FTE)53.19
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2567.8
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2562.8
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/252
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/253

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.209
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.457
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.219
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.195
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 schoolStoke-on-TrentEngland
Overall absence6.6%, better than England, better than Stoke-on-Trent8.6%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.16.4%, better than England, better than Stoke-on-Trent25%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.7%, better than England, better than Stoke-on-Trent3.9%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 rate25.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions9.7%
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.88.9%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.83.2%
Further education43.3%
School sixth form21.2%
Sixth form college18.3%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.8.2%
Apprenticeship2.9%
Employment2.9%

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.92.2%
Higher education74.5%
Employment7.8%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.8%
Apprenticeship5.9%
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 St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.3 miSecondaryOrmiston Horizon AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.3 miPrimaryMill Hill Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimarySt Wilfrid's Catholic AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimaryWhitfield Valley Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimaryBurnwood Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimarySummerbank Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimarySt Joseph's Catholic Academy, GoldenhillAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miSecondaryHaywood AcademyAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miPrimarySt Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
1.0 miPrimaryStar Academy, SandyfordAcademy sponsor led
Good

Frequently asked questions about St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy

What is St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy's Ofsted rating?

St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy is rated Good, last inspected on 27 Jan 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy rank in England?

St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy ranks 2,288 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 69% of schools) and 2,049 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 80% of schools).

What are St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 39.7% of pupils at St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 42.3 (England 46.2).

What are St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy was C-, and 13.6% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy made 209 offers from 457 applications (2.2 per offer), and 195 of 219 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy?

St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy has 1,143 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy?

St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy had 1,200 school places in 2024/25.

Does St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy have a sixth form?

Yes, St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy has a sixth form with 200 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy?

At St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy, the average class had 21.2 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.7 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy missed 6.6% of sessions (England 8%), and 16.4% 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.