Cowley International College
92%
Capacity
1,498
Pupils
2.3x
Demand
About Cowley International College
Cowley International College is a popular choice among local families, with 559 applications for 242 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.31. Of those 559 applicants, 236 put the school as their first preference, and 230 first-preference offers were made. This level of demand suggests a strong local reputation, though the school does not publish a parent view survey or recommend percentage. The school is a large mixed secondary with a sixth form, located in St. Helens, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021 judged it to remain Good overall, a rating it has held across its last two inspections. Leadership and management, behaviour and attitudes, and sixth-form provision were all rated Good in the most recent graded inspection in 2016, and the ungraded inspection in 2021 confirmed the school continues to meet that standard.
Academically, Cowley’s Progress 8 score of -0.69 is well below the national average and places it 7th out of 9 secondary schools in St. Helens, below the local authority average of -0.31. In the North West region it ranks 377th out of 445 schools, and nationally it sits in the bottom 10% of schools. Attainment 8 stands at 41.7, and 53.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, compared with 29.1% at grade 5 or above in both subjects. The EBacc average point score is 3.64, with 54.9% of pupils entering the EBacc combination. At A-level, the school’s value added score is -0.25, classed as below average, and the average points per entry is 28.94, equivalent to a grade C. The best three A-levels average grade is also a C.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, music rooms, science labs, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include rowing, hockey, dance, athletics, and swimming, while clubs cover drama, gardening, Young Enterprise, Duke of Edinburgh, film club, eco club, and Model UN. Cowley has a comprehensive SEND offer, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language difficulties, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 40.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively disadvantaged catchment. Cowley will suit families who value a large, inclusive secondary with strong local demand, a broad range of extracurricular activities, and a sixth form, but who are realistic about academic outcomes that sit below both local and national averages.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Hard Lane, St Helens, St. Helens, WA10 6PN |
| Headteacher | Russell Cormack |
| Local Authority | St. Helens |
| Number of Pupils | 1,498 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 40.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,498 / 1,620 (92% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Nov 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (24 Nov 2021): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 22 Nov 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.69)
2832nd of 3,141
Nationally
377th of 445
In North West
7th of 9
In St. Helens
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
30.1
'22/23
26.5
'23/24
28.9
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2355%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 238 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)55%
- FE college21%
- Not sustained12%
- Employment5%
- Sixth form college4%
- Apprenticeship1%
87% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2347%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 137 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
6%
Russell Group
9%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)47%
- Employment27%
- Not sustained10%
- Apprenticeship8%
- Further education4%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology20
- Biology19
- English Language17
- Mathematics13
- Law12
- English Literature9
- History9
- Physics9
- Sociology8
- Geography7
- Chemistry6
- Government and Politics6
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed242
559
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
236 families put this school as their 1st choice (42% 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 75% 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
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British88.9%
- Asian3.2%
- White (other)2.5%
- Mixed1.7%
- Black0.1%
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
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% 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.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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.
9
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
7
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Cowley International College
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
Hard Lane, St Helens
St. Helens, WA10 6PN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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