Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy, Ellesmere Port

Ofsted's report card from its 28 April 2026 inspection grades Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy on 7 areas: 3 expected standard and 4 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. "The school has been through a period of significant challenge and change."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed a thoughtful personal development programme."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have high ambitions for the students in the sixth form."

Achievement - Needs attention. "For some time, pupils have not achieved as well as they should."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "While leaders have now designed an ambitious curriculum, they have not yet fully ensured its effective implementation."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Leaders have designed new systems for identifying pupils' needs."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to strengthen their work to ensure more pupils attend school regularly so that they can learn the curriculum as planned and benefit from the wider opportunities the school provides"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers have the skills that they need to be able to check what pupils know and can do consistently so that any gaps in knowledge are addressed promptly"; "Leaders should ensure that strategies to support pupils' development of writing and mathematical knowledge are carried out consistently so that pupils are prepared for the next stage of their learning"; "Leaders should embed the strategies they use to identify barriers to pupils' learning and/or wellbeing so that they can take appropriate actions quickly to reduce these".

In its own words: "Ellesmere Port Catholic High School is a caring, inclusive and aspirational Catholic secondary school serving the local community. Guided by Gospel values, we are committed to supporting every young person to grow academically, spiritually and personally, so they are well prepared for the opportunities and challenges of modern life."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I would like to welcome and introduce you to Ellesmere Port Catholic High School. Our mission says ‘I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full’ (John 10:10) and we believe that every student here can achieve great things wherever their skills and talents lie."

In 2026, pupils at Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 36.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.3 in Cheshire West and Chester and 47 across England.

18% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 42% in Cheshire West and Chester and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 36.9.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.47: 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 28.5, against 40.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 12 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.

For September 2026 entry, 145 families put Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy as their first choice and 325 named it as one of their preferences, for 152 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 Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy are Ellesmere Port Church of England College (0.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 36.9); The Whitby High School (0.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39); South Wirral High School (3.9 miles, Attainment 8 38.1); and Upton-by-Chester High School (4.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 54.6).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy.

Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy is one of 18 schools run by Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 161 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 82% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 39% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 39 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 72% went on to university or other higher education and 18% into work.

33.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 9.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 132 pupils (13.9%) received SEN support and 60 (6.3%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Overpool Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Catholic High School (outside), 140 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 281 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cheshire West and Chester (71), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy issued 90 suspensions, 9.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy are Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School (under 0.1 miles); Whitby Heath Primary School (0.4 miles); Ellesmere Port Christ Church CofE Primary School (0.5 miles); and St Saviour's Catholic Primary and Nursery School, A Voluntary Academy (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.