The Grange School
89%
Capacity
1,173
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About The Grange School
The Grange School in Halton was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2016. The school’s Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year sits at -0.84, which is below the local authority average of -0.57 and places it sixth out of seven schools in Halton. This metric measures how much progress pupils make from the end of primary school to their GCSEs, and a negative score indicates that, on average, students achieve lower than the national benchmark. The school’s Attainment 8 score is 33.5, and just 40.1% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. While these figures suggest academic outcomes are a challenge, the Ofsted report notes that behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management are all Good, pointing to a school that is stable and improving in other key areas.
The Grange School’s exam results show a mixed picture. The Progress 8 score of -0.84 is below the Halton average of -0.57, and the school ranks 401st out of 445 schools in the North West region. The English Progress 8 score is -0.56, which is the strongest of the individual subject areas, while maths is -0.89 and the EBacc subjects are -0.92. The EBacc entry rate is 38.7%, with 13.1% of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in the EBacc combination. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 33.5 is well below the national average, and the basics measure shows that 40.1% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, compared to 26.3% at grade 5 and above. These figures indicate that while the school is making progress in some areas, particularly English, there is significant room for improvement in maths and the EBacc subjects.
The Grange School is a mixed secondary with a nursery provision and a capacity of 1,320 pupils, currently home to 1,173 students. It is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, with 264 applications for 144 places and 137 first-preference offers. The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, and science labs, as well as clubs such as gardening, science club, and Young Enterprise. It has a strong SEND provision, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 53.4% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with high levels of disadvantage. This school will suit families who value a broad range of facilities and a supportive SEND environment, but who are aware that academic outcomes are below the local average and that the school is still on an improvement journey.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Latham Avenue, Runcorn, Halton, WA7 5DX |
| Headteacher | Jamie Jardine |
| Local Authority | Halton |
| Number of Pupils | 1,173 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 53.4% |
| School Capacity | 1,173 / 1,320 (89% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
4 May 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 3 Jul 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.84)
2952nd of 3,141
Nationally
401st of 445
In North West
6th of 7
In Halton
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
2022/232%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 121 pupils).
- FE college65%
- Sixth form college11%
- Not sustained8%
- Employment7%
- Apprenticeship5%
- School sixth form (stay)2%
91% 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
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed144
264
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
137 families put this school as their 1st choice (52% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 14:50
Source: thegrangeacademy.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British89.6%
- Mixed3.8%
- White (other)2.5%
- Black0.3%
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.
14
Total schools
13
Oversubscribed
11
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 The Grange 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
Latham Avenue, Runcorn
Halton, WA7 5DX
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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