Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School
147%
Capacity
1,324
Pupils
3.7x
Demand
About Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School
Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School is a boys' secondary school in Liverpool that consistently punches above its weight academically. Ranked second out of 30 state secondary schools in the Liverpool local authority, it sits just behind The Blue Coat School and ahead of Archbishop Blanch CofE High School and King David High School. With a Progress 8 score of 0.66, the school is rated 'well above average' nationally, placing it in the top 10% of schools across England. Its strong performance is particularly notable given that the Liverpool LA average Progress 8 score is -0.4, meaning Cardinal Heenan's pupils make significantly more progress than their peers in other local schools. The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 667 applications for 181 places, with 218 first-preference applications and 171 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.69.
Academically, Cardinal Heenan delivers strong results across the board. Its Attainment 8 score of 59.1 is well above the national average, and 68.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths (the basics 95 measure). The EBacc average point score of 5.08 is solid, though only 29.6% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects. Progress in individual subjects is consistently strong: Progress 8 in English is 0.67, in maths 0.54, and in the EBacc subjects 0.52. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 confirmed it remains Good, with leadership and management also rated Good. This is a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2013, when the school was rated Requires Improvement. The sixth form provision was not separately graded in the most recent inspection, but the school does not have an official sixth form, so pupils typically move on elsewhere after Year 11.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, music rooms, art studios, science labs, an ICT suite, and a chapel. Sports provision is extensive, with rowing, rugby, football, cricket, gymnastics, basketball, netball, and swimming all on offer. Extra-curricular clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, book club, art club, choir, and a newspaper club. The school has a comprehensive SEND offer, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 18.1% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. Cardinal Heenan is best suited to families who want a Catholic boys' school with strong academic outcomes, a disciplined environment, and a wide range of sporting and enrichment opportunities, but who are aware that the school is heavily oversubscribed and does not have its own sixth form.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Honeysgreen Lane, Liverpool, Liverpool, L12 9HZ |
| Headteacher | Karen Smyth |
| Local Authority | Liverpool |
| Number of Pupils | 1,324 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 18.1% |
| School Capacity | 1,324 / 900 (147% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Feb 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (8 Feb 2023): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 26 Jun 2014. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.66)
317th of 3,141
Nationally
33rd of 445
In North West
2nd of 30
In Liverpool
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed181
667
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
218 families put this school as their 1st choice (33% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British50.9%
- White (other)8.7%
- Mixed8.7%
- Asian7.2%
- Black1.8%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
16
Total schools
11
Oversubscribed
12
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Honeysgreen Lane, Liverpool
Liverpool, L12 9HZ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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