Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School
104%
Capacity
861
Pupils
2.7x
Demand
About Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School
Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School is a popular choice among Warrington families, with 469 applications for 175 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.68. Of those applicants, 190 put the school as their first preference, and 165 first-preference offers were made. While the school doesn't publish a formal parent satisfaction survey, this level of demand suggests strong local confidence. The school is a state secondary for mixed pupils aged 11 to 16, with a Church of England character, and is led by headteacher Beverley Scott-Herron. It currently has 861 pupils on roll, which is slightly above its official capacity of 825, and over a third of its pupils (35.3%) are eligible for free school meals, reflecting a genuinely comprehensive intake.
Academically, the school was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021, with Good marks across all four graded categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This is a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2014, when it was rated Inadequate overall. In the 2023/24 exam results, pupils achieved a Progress 8 score of -0.24, which is classified as Average nationally and slightly above the Warrington local authority average of -0.29. The Attainment 8 score was 41.5, and 54.1% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate was high at 64.9%, though only 14.2% achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. The school ranks 8th out of 13 secondary schools in Warrington by Progress 8.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including science labs, music rooms, a sports hall, tennis courts, a gymnasium, and a chapel. Sports on offer include basketball, cricket, rugby, rowing, and swimming, while clubs range from choir and drama to Model UN and chess. For pupils with additional needs, the school provides for a wide spectrum of SEND, including specific learning difficulties, autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, plus a resourced provision. There is no sixth form or nursery. This school will suit families who want a large, inclusive Church of England secondary with strong community demand, a broad extracurricular offer, and a track record of improvement from a historically difficult period.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Grammar School Road, Warrington, Warrington, WA4 1JL |
| Headteacher | Beverley Scott-Herron |
| Local Authority | Warrington |
| Number of Pupils | 861 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 35.3% |
| School Capacity | 861 / 825 (104% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
5 Oct 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 28 Nov 2021. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.24)
2105th of 3,141
Nationally
257th of 445
In North West
8th of 13
In Warrington
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make 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
2022/2344%
of GCSE leavers move to sixth form college (cohort: 91 pupils).
- Sixth form college44%
- FE college27%
- Not sustained13%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Employment7%
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.
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed175
469
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
190 families put this school as their 1st choice (41% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:00
Source: boteler.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British71.4%
- Asian10.4%
- White (other)6.9%
- Mixed4.0%
- Black0.6%
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.
12
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
9
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 Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England 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
Grammar School Road, Warrington
Warrington, WA4 1JL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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