Schools by area › St. Helens › Hope Academy
Hope Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
Ashton Road, Newton-le-Willows WA12 0AQ · hopeacademy.org.uk · 01744 671930
On the mapSearch near WA12 0AQ
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Nov 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 43.8
- average Attainment 8 score. St. Helens 41.8, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,235
- 91% of 1,350 places
- Local authority
- St. Helens
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 30%
- First language not English
- 4.5%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 168 families put the school first and 184 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 | 184 | 168 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 221 | 220 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 252 | 248 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 272 | 256 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 262 | 274 | 1▲ | 95% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 43.8, and 32.5% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across St. Helens it was 41.8, and across England 46.
In 2018/19 the average A level result was grade C+ (32.1 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼43.8 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼32.5% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼56.6% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼32.5% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.71 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 5.6 | +2 |
| Sixth form college | 35.2 | −5 |
| Further education | 40.8 | +7.8 |
| Other education | 0.4 | −0.9 |
| Apprenticeship | 2.5 | −3.3 |
| Employment | 1.8 | −4.9 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 8.1 | −1.3 |
| Activity not captured | 5.6 | — |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2018/19 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 students | C+ (32.1) | Well above average +0.92 | |
| 17 students | C (28.6) | Well above average +0.50 | |
| 6 students | Merit (23.6) | Average +0.22 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/18 | 21 | D+ (22.8) | -0.15 |
| 2016/17 | 4 | — | -0.64 |
| 2015/16 | 23 | D- (15.1) | -0.64 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2019/20 | Since 2016/17 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 10 | −3 |
| Further and other education | 31 | +29 |
| Further education | 28 | — |
| Other education | 3 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 8 | −5 |
| Employment | 38 | −11 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 8 | −7 |
| Activity not captured | 5 | −3 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Hope Academy on 12 November 2024 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 12 Nov 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Sept 2021
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Sept 2021Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Nov 2015Good
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Feb 2014Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate
What parents said
57% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (204 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 57%
- Replies
- 204
- 16% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 82% who raised concerns
based on the 46% who had a child bullied
based on 71 parents (35%) with SEND