Maghull High School, Liverpool

Ofsted's report card from its 28 April 2026 inspection grades Maghull High School on 7 areas: 4 expected standard and 3 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders and staff share the vision that every pupil is important."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Recently, leadership has strengthened, including at trust level."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have recently thought carefully about the experiences that they want pupils to have before they leave the school, as captured in the ‘Maghull High Pledge'."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have embedded suitable study programmes in the sixth form."

Achievement - Needs attention. "In national examinations at the end of key stage 4, pupils' achievement is lower than national averages."

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

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Teachers' checks on what pupils know are not consistently effective."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that effective assessment systems are in place to allow teachers to identify misconceptions in pupils' learning, ensure that any gaps are swiftly addressed and raise standards of achievement for all pupils"; "Leaders should continue to further strengthen the strategies in place to improve attendance, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils"; "Leaders, including the trust, should refine the processes in place to rigorously evaluate the impact of their actions so that they can continue to drive improvements".

In its own words: "To provide a learning and development environment for young people by offering outstanding and inspirational education for changing lives. To continue to develop individuals that have a positive impact on society. PILLARS OF SUCCESS - Foundations of our culture, based on our beliefs and behaviours and what makes us unique"

From the headteacher's welcome: "It gives me great pleasure to introduce myself as Headteacher of Maghull High School. I feel extremely honoured and privileged to have been chosen to lead this fantastic school. I started working at Maghull High School in September 1999 as a newly qualified teacher and I am dedicated to supporting our students and families."

In 2026, pupils at Maghull High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 38.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.4 in Sefton and 47 across England.

25% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 39% in Sefton and 47% in England.

That is down from 39.6 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.87: 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 27.1, against 42.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and History.

For September 2026 entry, 248 families put Maghull High School as their first choice and 668 named it as one of their preferences, for 219 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 40 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Maghull High School are Maricourt Catholic High School (0.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.6); Deyes High School (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.1); Litherland High School (2.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 37.2); and Holy Family Catholic High School (2.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.2).

Maghull High School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Maghull High School is one of 9 schools run by Southport Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.4 in 2024/25.

Of the 203 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 79% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 41% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 43 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 42% went on to university or other higher education, 21% to apprenticeships and 19% into work. 2% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

3.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Maghull Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

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

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Maghull High School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 50 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Sefton (165).

In 2024/25, Maghull High School issued 248 suspensions, 22.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Maghull High School are St George's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles); Hudson Primary School (0.6 miles); St Andrews Church of England Primary School, Maghull (0.6 miles); and St John Bosco Catholic Primary School (0.9 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.