Schools by area › Cheshire West and Chester › Blacon High School, A Specialist Sports College
Blacon High School, A Specialist Sports College
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Foundation school
Melbourne Road, Blacon, Chester CH1 5JH · blaconhighschool.net · 01244 371475
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- May 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 33.2
- average Attainment 8 score. Cheshire West and Chester 44.6, England 46
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Year 7, September 2026 entry · Cheshire West and Chester Council
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 651
- 87% of 750 places
- Local authority
- Cheshire West and Chester
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 48.5%
- First language not English
- 7.4%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Cheshire West and Chester Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 74 families put the school first and 78 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 78 | 74 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 118 | 118 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 112 | 111 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 146 | 150 | 1▲ | 97% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 150 | 162 | 1.1▲ | 93% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 33.2, and 17.3% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Cheshire West and Chester it was 44.6, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼33.2 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼17.3% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼36.8% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼8.3% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼2.59 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 10.2 | −4.2 |
| Further education | 48 | −6.2 |
| Other education | 1.6 | +0.8 |
| Apprenticeship | 5.5 | +0.4 |
| Employment | 9.4 | +5.2 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 17.3 | −0.5 |
| Activity not captured | 7.9 | +4.5 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Blacon High School, A Specialist Sports College on 12 May 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Needs attention
- Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
- Achievement: Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Needs attention
- Inspected
- 12 May 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Needs attention |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Needs attention |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Nov 2023
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
- Apr 2025Monitoring visitEffective action
Nov 2023Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Oct 2021Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Jan 2016Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective Nov 2013Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement
What parents said
50% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (54 replies, to 2 September 2024).
- Recommend
- 50%
- Replies
- 54
- 2 Sept 2024
based on the 80% who raised concerns
based on the 56% who had a child bullied
based on 24 parents (44%) with SEND