Priestley College

About Priestley College

Priestley College is a 16-19 state sixth form in Warrington that parents clearly rate highly. In the most recent Parent View survey, covering September 2024 to September 2025, 94% of the 18 respondents said they would recommend the school to other parents. That’s a strong signal, and the detail backs it up: 89% strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 94% strongly agreed that their child feels safe. Behaviour is seen as a real strength too, with 78% strongly agreeing the school ensures pupils are well behaved. On the practical side, the school is not oversubscribed in a way that shows up in the data — its capacity is listed as 90, and there’s no admissions ratio to suggest a scramble for places. That may reflect its specialist sixth-form role, drawing students from across Warrington rather than a fixed catchment. For parents weighing up post-16 options, the parent experience here looks very positive indeed.

Academically, the picture is more mixed. Priestley College’s Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -1.71, which places it 12th out of 13 schools in Warrington and in the bottom 50 nationally. That’s significantly below the local authority average Progress 8 of -0.29. The Attainment 8 score was 5.1, and only 14.3% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. No pupils entered the EBacc. However, it’s important to remember that this is a 16-19 institution, so these KS4 results reflect the cohort who arrived at the college, not its own teaching. Ofsted’s most recent inspection in October 2024 was ungraded, with the outcome that standards are maintained. The college’s previous graded inspection in 2015 rated it Outstanding overall, with Outstanding sixth-form provision, leadership, and early years provision. So while the raw exam data looks weak, the regulatory judgement remains very strong.

The college offers a solid range of facilities, including a sixth form centre, science labs, an astro turf pitch, a sports hall, and a library. There’s also a chapel on site. Sports on offer include tennis, athletics, martial arts, swimming, basketball, gymnastics, and dance, while clubs cover debate, science club, Model UN, coding, newspaper, and Young Enterprise. For students with SEND, the Parent View data is reassuring: 83% of parents strongly agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, and 100% of respondents said their child has SEND. That’s a small sample but a notable one. Priestley College is a state-funded, non-denominational, mixed sixth form with no boarding. It will suit families in Warrington looking for a post-16 option with strong pastoral signals and an Outstanding Ofsted rating, particularly those whose children may benefit from a supportive environment rather than a highly selective academic route.

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