Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School, Liverpool

Ofsted's report card from its 27 January 2026 inspection grades Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School on 7 areas: 3 strong standard, 3 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Attendance is above the national averages and continues to improve incrementally."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders have created a highly inclusive culture where pupils are well known, cared for and supported."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders have mapped the personal development programme coherently from Year 7 through to Year 13."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Pupils benefit from a coherently designed curriculum."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have a clear understanding of the school's context and can explain their priorities clearly."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have acted appropriately to develop pupils' knowledge and understanding in the subjects they study in the sixth form."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils' attainment in national tests has been variable."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is taught consistently well across the school, particularly with regard to the impact of assessment procedures, so that pupils are enabled to achieve well in all the subjects they study".

From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School situated in Liverpool. Our mission is rooted in the values of Respect, Believe, Achieve. We foster a community where all of our pupils belong, feel valued and are nurtured to achieve their full potential."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, basketball, badminton, drama, choir, chess, STEM, cooking, debating and journalism.

Coming up: an open evening on Thursday 12 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 42.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 42.8 in Liverpool and 47 across England.

36% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 38% in Liverpool and 47% in England.

That is up from 40.9 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.41: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 32, against 49.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 17.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Religious Studies and Statistics.

For September 2026 entry, 299 families put Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School as their first choice and 650 named it as one of their preferences, for 219 places offered. That is 1.4 first choices for every place. 115 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School are Broughton Hall Catholic High School (0.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39.4); St Edward's College (0.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 53.3); Dixons Broadgreen Academy (1 mile, Attainment 8 37); and Holly Lodge Girls' College (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.1).

Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

122 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School (as of April 2026): 94% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (92%).

Of the 239 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 70% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 32% to a further education college, 11% to an apprenticeship and 5% into work.

Of the 102 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 56% went on to university or other higher education, 4% to apprenticeships and 25% into work. 3% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

6.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 325 pupils (24.3%) received SEN support and 85 (6.4%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School had 98 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Broad Green Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Martlett Road (opposite), 80 metres away.

In 2024/25, Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School issued 99 suspensions, 7.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School are Blackmoor Park Junior School (0.2 miles), Blackmoor Park Infants' School (0.4 miles), Knotty Ash Primary School (0.4 miles) and Blueberry Park (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.