Classpot

Birchwood Community High School

Warrington, WA3 7PTSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
4 Good
Dec 2024
Progress 8
-0.37
Below average
−20+2
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
116 1st-choice / 134 places
Ranking
#2,392
of 3,141 nationally

About Birchwood Community High School

Birchwood Community High School is a mixed, non-denominational state secondary in Warrington, serving pupils from 11 to 16. It sits 10th out of 13 schools of its type in the local authority, placing it in the bottom half of the area’s performance table. For context, the top-performing peers in Warrington are Lymm High School, King’s Leadership Academy Warrington, and Bridgewater High School, all of which rank higher on Progress 8. The school is led by headteacher Emma Mills and has 889 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,050, meaning there is some room for growth. It is heavily oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 314 applications for 134 places and 116 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.34. That level of demand suggests it holds a strong reputation locally, even if its academic ranking doesn’t place it among the top tier in the borough.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressBrock Road, Warrington, Warrington, WA3 7PT
HeadteacherEmma Mills
Local AuthorityWarrington
Number of Pupils889
Free School Meals (FSM)37.2%
School Capacity889 / 1,050 (85% full)

The full report on this school

What 56 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

10 Dec 2024
View Report
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 19 Jan 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
Dining HallAstro TurfGymnasiumPlaying FieldsLibraryScience LabsTennis CourtsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

16

Sports

RoundersRowingSwimmingTennisBasketballDanceNetballRugbyMartial Arts

Clubs & Activities

DramaChoirOrchestraFilm ClubDebateEco ClubArt Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingLearning DifficultyProfound LearningOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:40 – 15:10

Breakfast club

07:30-08:40

Source: birchwoodhigh.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Birchwood Community High School

Birchwood Community High School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.