West Kirby Grammar School
92%
Capacity
1,186
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About West Kirby Grammar School
West Kirby Grammar School is a girls' state secondary in Wirral that is comfortably oversubscribed, a clear signal of its local standing. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 353 applications for 171 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.06. Of those, 144 offers went to first-preference applicants, meaning competition for a spot is real but not prohibitive. The school currently has 1,186 pupils against a capacity of 1,283, so there is some headroom, but demand clearly outstrips supply. Just 7.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the national average of around 23%, reflecting the relatively affluent catchment. The school is non-denominational and has no religious character, which broadens its appeal. Headteacher Simeon Clarke leads a school that last had a full Ofsted inspection in November 2022, where it was rated Good across all categories, including behaviour, personal development, and sixth-form provision. That inspection marked a change from its previous Outstanding rating in 2009, but the school remains one of the strongest in the local authority.
Academically, West Kirby Grammar School performs well above the Wirral average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.42 is rated 'Above average' and sits comfortably above the local authority average of -0.12. That places the school third out of 20 similar schools in Wirral, and in the top 20% nationally. The Attainment 8 score of 68.3 is strong, and 99.5% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 94% hitting the higher grade 5 threshold. The EBacc entry rate is high at 86.4%, and 70.7% of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 4 or above. In the sixth form, the school's value-added score is 0.05, classed as 'Average', with students averaging a B- grade across their best three A-levels. The average points per entry is 37.43, again a B-. While not as standout as the GCSE results, the sixth form is solid and well-subscribed, with 167 pupils in the cohort.
The school offers a broad range of facilities, including a theatre, astro turf, tennis courts, a sixth form centre, and dedicated music rooms. Sports provision is extensive, with everything from rowing and martial arts to netball and swimming. There is also a wide array of clubs, including Model UN, Young Enterprise, coding, and a newspaper club. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists provisions for a range of SEND categories, including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. This is a selective grammar school in all but name, and it suits families who value strong academic outcomes, a structured environment, and a wide extracurricular offer. The Wirral area has two Outstanding-rated schools in the same category, but West Kirby Grammar School's consistent Good rating and strong Progress 8 performance make it a reliable choice for academically able girls.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Girls |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Graham Road, Wirral, Wirral, CH48 5DP |
| Headteacher | Simeon Clarke |
| Local Authority | Wirral |
| Number of Pupils | 1,186 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 7.8% |
| School Capacity | 1,186 / 1,283 (92% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
2 Nov 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 15 Dec 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.42)
613th of 3,141
Nationally
61st of 445
In North West
3rd of 20
In Wirral
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
41.0
'22/23
38.5
'23/24
37.4
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2387%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 180 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)87%
- Sixth form college7%
- FE college3%
- Apprenticeship1%
- Employment1%
- Not sustained1%
99% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2366%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 177 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
44%
Russell Group
49%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)66%
- Employment16%
- Not sustained10%
- Further education3%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology72
- Biology67
- Chemistry52
- History31
- Mathematics30
- Business Studies:Single25
- English Language25
- Geography24
- English Literature19
- Government and Politics18
- Economics15
- Physical Education / Sports Studies15
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
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
20Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed171
353
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
146 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.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British77.7%
- Asian9.8%
- Mixed5.1%
- White (other)4.3%
- 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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than half of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
6
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
4
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 West Kirby Grammar 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
Graham Road, Wirral
Wirral, CH48 5DP
Journey to School
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Opening Hours
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