King's Leadership Academy Hawthornes
111%
Capacity
668
Pupils
1.6x
Demand
About King's Leadership Academy Hawthornes
King's Leadership Academy Hawthornes is a mixed state secondary in Sefton, serving 668 pupils aged 11 to 16. It sits sixth out of fourteen schools of its type in the local authority, according to Progress 8 scores, placing it just above the middle of the pack. The top-performing peers in Sefton are Formby High School, Range High School and Meols Cop High School, all of which post stronger academic progress scores. The school is led by headteacher Andrea St John and has no religious character. It is significantly oversubscribed: for 165 places in the 2025/26 intake, it received 268 total applications, with 151 first-preference applications and 142 offers made to first-preference families. That works out at 1.62 applications per place, suggesting strong local demand despite the school's middling rank. Over 60 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure well above the national average, which provides important context for its academic results.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, the school was rated Good overall, with Good marks across all four graded categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This represents a clear improvement from its previous inspection in 2020, when it was rated Requires Improvement. On academic outcomes, the school's Progress 8 score is -0.57, which is classified as well below average nationally. However, it sits just a hair above the Sefton local authority average of -0.59, meaning it is broadly in line with other schools in the area. The Attainment 8 score is 33.4, and 40.4 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score is 3.14, with 68.3 per cent of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. These figures reflect a school that is working hard to improve outcomes in a challenging context.
The school offers a solid range of facilities, including a swimming pool, sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, science labs, art studios and a library. Sports on offer include athletics, rugby, football, swimming, cricket and dance, while clubs range from drama and choir to coding, debate and Young Enterprise. The school has a broad SEND provision, covering specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate to severe learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. There is no sixth form or nursery provision. For families in Sefton, this is a school that has made measurable progress under its current leadership, is popular locally, and offers a wide range of extracurricular opportunities. It will particularly suit families who value a school that is actively improving and reflects the community it serves, rather than one with elite academic outcomes.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Fernhill Road, Bootle, Sefton, L20 6AQ |
| Headteacher | Andrea St John |
| Local Authority | Sefton |
| Number of Pupils | 668 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 60.4% |
| School Capacity | 668 / 600 (111% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
27 Sept 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 8 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.57)
2701st of 3,141
Nationally
350th of 445
In North West
6th of 14
In Sefton
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/233%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 68 pupils).
- FE college72%
- Not sustained9%
- Employment4%
- School sixth form (stay)3%
84% 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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed165
268
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
151 families put this school as their 1st choice (56% 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
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British73.5%
- White (other)5.8%
- Mixed4.5%
- Asian1.7%
- Black1.0%
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.
16
Total schools
15
Oversubscribed
13
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 King's Leadership Academy Hawthornes
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
Fernhill Road, Bootle
Sefton, L20 6AQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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