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

Requires Improvement
Secondary
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Roman Catholic
Ages 1118

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~711m)Possible (~1.0km)Unlikely (~1.3km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Lorraine Henderson
Pupils:950 / 988 capacity
LA:Cheshire West and Chester
Phone:01513552373
Address:Capenhurst Lane, Whitby, Ellesmere Port, CH65 7AQ
Trust:OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS CATHOLIC ACADEMY TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 April 2023

Ofsted Rating

Requires Improvement

Overall

URN:149631
UKPRN:10092100
Diocese:Diocese of Shrewsbury
Constituency:Ellesmere Port and Bromborough
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

This school clearly cares about its pupils and staff. Leaders have made real improvements to teaching and learning after a challenging period, and pupils benefit from strong pastoral support and a welcoming atmosphere. The sixth form is particularly successful, with students achieving above national averages, and the school offers plenty of enrichment opportunities to help young people develop interests and prepare for their futures.

Key Strengths

  • Leaders have responded swiftly and effectively to areas needing improvement, with better strategic oversight of pupils facing barriers to learning
  • Safeguarding is strong with an open, positive culture where all staff prioritize pupil safety
  • Personal development programme is thoughtful and includes good extra-curricular opportunities like Duke of Edinburgh, sports clubs and debates
  • Sixth form students, particularly A Level students, achieve better than their peers nationally
  • Pastoral support systems are effective, with pupils confident to approach staff for help

Areas for Improvement

  • Achievement at Key Stage 4 remains below national averages, with pupils not receiving support quickly enough
  • Attendance is too low, including persistent absenteeism, though leaders are making improvements
  • Writing and mathematical skills are underdeveloped, with errors not addressed quickly enough
  • Teaching quality is improving but some teachers do not check effectively what pupils know, meaning learning pace is not always right
  • Support for pupils with special educational needs and those disadvantaged is not applied consistently in classrooms

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, sports clubs, debates, careers fair, work experience (Year 10 and sixth form), visits to local businesses, British Sign Language, first aid, meditation

Ellesmere Port Catholic High School is a Voluntary Academy that has navigated significant challenges and change, with leaders working effectively to address shortcomings. The school is showing green shoots of improvement across teaching and learning, though some areas still need strengthening.

At a Glance

35.3%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

20.1

Avg class size

47

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Catholic High School (o/s)
140m · 2 min walk
Windsor Drive (cnr)
267m · 4 min walk
Pembroke Drive (cnr)
271m · 4 min walk
Hinderton School (o/s)
273m · 4 min walk
Morrisons (o/s)
288m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

96%

Near capacity

950 pupils

988 capacity

38 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Ellesmere Port

Low pressure
New homes approved:963
Projected new pupils:173

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Ellesmere Port

Admissions Demand - Cheshire West and Chester

Low demand0.87x oversubscription

Places available

4,161

Applications

3,615

Got 1st preference

95.0%

Got preferred school

99.4%

Secondary admissions across Cheshire West and Chester (2025/26)

Inspection History(101)

Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement
Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement
Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

11.03556%

Overall absence

32.85871%

Persistent absence

913

Enrolments

Authorised6.90607%
Unauthorised4.12949%
Persistent (10%+)32.85871%
Severe (50%+)5.36692%

Absence trend

11.62389%
22/23
11.31764%
23/24
11.03556%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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