Higham Lane School, Nuneaton

In its own words: "Our school is truly unique. Mutual respect and very clear expectations regarding effort, progress and behaviour are key to our success. Students get on exceptionally well with each other at Higham Lane and with our staff, who take a huge pride in working here."

From the headteacher's welcome: "My name is Michael Gannon and I am delighted to introduce myself as the Headteacher at Higham Lane School."

Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 18 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Higham Lane School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50 in Warwickshire and 47 across England.

54% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 52% in Warwickshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 52.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.59: pupils made well above 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 41.3, against 53.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.8 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, French and Combined Science.

For September 2026 entry, 217 families put Higham Lane School as their first choice and 627 named it as one of their preferences, for 248 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 8 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Higham Lane School are Etone College (0.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.2); Higham Lane North Academy (0.8 miles); St Thomas More Catholic Academy and Sixth Form College (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.9); and George Eliot Academy (1.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.9).

Higham Lane School's 2026 results were higher than all 3 of them.

Higham Lane School is one of 7 schools run by Central England Academy Trust, an academy trust.

185 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Higham Lane School (as of September 2025): 74% would recommend the school, 74% say their child is happy there and 52% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (90%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (52%).

Of the 245 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 24% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 81 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 59% went on to university or other higher education, 12% to apprenticeships and 14% into work. 24% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

15.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 149 pupils (9.8%) received SEN support and 39 (2.6%) 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 autism.

The nearest railway station is Nuneaton Rail Station, about 940 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).

15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Higham Lane School (adjacent), 140 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Higham Lane School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 353 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Warwickshire (88), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Higham Lane School issued 74 suspensions, 5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Higham Lane School are St Nicolas CofE Academy (0.4 miles), Weddington Primary School (0.4 miles), Milby Primary School (0.7 miles) and Lower Farm Academy (0.9 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.