Schools by area › Halton › Wade Deacon High School
Wade Deacon High School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Academy
Birchfield Road, Widnes WA8 7TD · wadedeacon.co.uk · 0151 423 2721
Overview
- Ofsted
- Outstanding
- 2019 framework · inspected Nov 2022
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 54
- average Attainment 8 score. Halton 42.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.1
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,658
- 33 over 1,625 places · 102%
- Local authority
- Halton
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 25.7%
- First language not English
- 5.2%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Wade Deacon Trust
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 393 families put the school first and 343 places were offered; 87% 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 | 343 | 393 | 1.1▲ | 87% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 328 | 350 | 1.1▲ | 93% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 317 | 426 | 1.3▲ | 74% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 322 | 395 | 1.2▲ | 81% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 319 | 363 | 1.1▲ | 87% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 54, and 62.1% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Halton it was 42.1, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲54 | 46 | ||
| ▲62.1% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲76.7% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲47.9% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲4.77 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 1.9 | −0.2 |
| Sixth form college | 3.2 | −10.3 |
| Further education | 82.5 | +9.2 |
| Apprenticeship | 3.2 | −0.4 |
| Employment | 1.9 | −1.4 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 5.8 | +2.5 |
| Activity not captured | 1.3 | +0.7 |
Ofsted
Wade Deacon High School was judged Outstanding at its last graded inspection, on 29 November 2022, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Outstanding
- Inspected
- 29 Nov 2022
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
Previously: Outstanding, graded inspection, Mar 2011
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Mar 2011Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Mar 2007Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Outstanding
What parents said
92% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (348 replies, to 4 September 2023).
- Recommend
- 92%
- Replies
- 348
- 22% · 4 Sept 2023
based on the 68% who raised concerns
based on the 33% who had a child bullied
based on 45 parents (13%) with SEND