Classpot

Padgate Academy

Warrington, WA2 0LNSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
May 2023
Progress 8
-0.66
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
0.7×
Not oversubscribed
105 1st-choice / 141 places
Ranking
#2,803
of 3,141 nationally

About Padgate Academy

Padgate Academy is a mixed state secondary school in Warrington, serving 642 pupils aged 11 to 16 under headteacher Adam McMillan. Within the local authority, it ranks 11th out of 13 schools of its type by Progress 8 score, placing it in the bottom half of Warrington’s secondary landscape. The top-performing peers in the area are Lymm High School, King’s Leadership Academy Warrington, and Bridgewater High School, all of which sit well above Padgate in the rankings. The school’s Progress 8 score of -0.66 is significantly below the Warrington local authority average of -0.29, and its national ranking places it in the bottom 11% of all secondary schools in England. Despite these figures, the school has been rated Good by Ofsted following its May 2023 inspection, a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2016. The school is heavily oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 266 applications for 141 places and 105 first-preference offers, suggesting strong local demand.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
AddressInsall Road, Warrington, Warrington, WA2 0LN
HeadteacherAdam McMillan
Local AuthorityWarrington
Number of Pupils642
Free School Meals (FSM)49.4%
School Capacity642 / 750 (86% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, 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

23 May 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Source: Ofsted, 16 Jul 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

10
Tennis CourtsSwimming PoolSports HallArt StudiosMusic RoomsGymnasiumTheatreSixth Form CentreDining HallScience Labs

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

16

Sports

GymnasticsAthleticsNetballSwimmingRoundersCross CountryMartial Arts

Clubs & Activities

Eco ClubScience ClubDramaYoung EnterpriseDebateDuke of EdinburghChoirNewspaperModel United Nations

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

SEND Support

Resourced Provision
AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageVisionLearning DifficultyResourced ProvisionMulti-SensoryOther

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Padgate Academy

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