Cowley International College, St Helens

Ofsted's report card from its 10 March 2026 inspection grades Cowley International College on 7 areas: 2 expected standard and 5 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Since the last inspection, there have been significant changes in leadership and staffing."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders place a clear emphasis on pupils' personal development."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils' achievement in national tests, including disadvantaged pupils, dipped to below the national average in 2025."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Pupils' attendance has been low in the past."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Teachers do not check pupils' understanding consistently well to identify gaps in their learning and address misconceptions and errors."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Leaders are committed to providing an inclusive environment for all pupils."

Post 16 provision - Needs attention. "Sixth-form students did not generally achieve well in the past, particularly on A level courses."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that consistently effective teaching throughout the school, including in the sixth form, leads to improved achievement for all pupils"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers' checks on pupils' knowledge and understanding identify gaps and address misconceptions consistently well in all subjects and year groups"; "Leaders should ensure that staff are fully equipped and supported to adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all pupils as well as possible, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities"; "Leaders should continue to work on improving pupils' attendance, including disadvantaged pupils"; "Leaders should continue to build on their ongoing work to improve communication with staff and the wider school community".

In 2026, pupils at Cowley International College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.3, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.9 in St. Helens and 47 across England.

33% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 40% in St. Helens and 47% in England.

That is up from 39.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.69: pupils made well 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 31.6, against 46.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 29 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 213 families put Cowley International College as their first choice and 481 named it as one of their preferences, for 243 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Cowley International College are De La Salle School (1.1 miles, Attainment 8 43.2); St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy (1.8 miles, Attainment 8 45.1); St Cuthbert's Catholic High School (2.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 33.9); and St Cuthbert's Catholic Academy (2.5 miles).

Cowley International College's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

93 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Cowley International College (as of April 2026): 58% would recommend the school, 60% say their child is happy there and 31% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (65%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (31%).

Of the 244 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 81% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 27% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 134 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 39% went on to university or other higher education, 11% to apprenticeships and 28% into work. 3% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

36.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 7.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is St Helens Central Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.

19 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gamble Avenue (se-bound), 120 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Cowley International College stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Cowley International College issued 612 suspensions, 40.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 10 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Cowley International College are Rivington Primary School (0.2 miles), St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles), Queen's Park CofE/Urc Primary School (0.7 miles) and St Mary & St Thomas CofE Primary School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.