Ormiston Chadwick Academy, Widnes

In its own words: "‘We will make the biggest difference to the lives of all our students by laying the foundations to encourage a successful future.’ We want all of our students to feel part of our family and understand what it means to be a ‘true OCAer’."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Ormiston Chadwick Academy or as we fondly call it, OCA. I am extremely proud and privileged to introduce myself as Principal of this dynamic, high achieving and forward-thinking school. At OCA we pride ourselves on being an academy that makes the biggest difference to young people’s lives by laying the foundations to encourage a successful future."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, cricket, dance, choir and Duke of Edinburgh.

In 2026, pupils at Ormiston Chadwick Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 37, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 40.1 in Halton and 47 across England.

32% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 34% in Halton and 47% in England.

That is down from 41.2 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.23: 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 29.4, against 43.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 14.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and History.

For September 2026 entry, 152 families put Ormiston Chadwick Academy as their first choice and 502 named it as one of their preferences, for 170 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 Ormiston Chadwick Academy are Saints Peter and Paul Catholic High School (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39.9); Wade Deacon High School (1 mile, Outstanding, Attainment 8 49.2); Rainhill High School (2.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.3); and The Grange School (3.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 36).

Ormiston Chadwick Academy's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Ormiston Chadwick Academy is one of 44 schools run by Ormiston Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41 in 2024/25.

Of the 184 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 85% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 80% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

51.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 167 pupils (18.9%) received SEN support and 24 (2.7%) 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 Hough Green Rail Station, about 1040 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ormiston Chadwick Academy, 170 metres away.

In 2024/25, Ormiston Chadwick Academy issued 191 suspensions, 20.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Ormiston Chadwick Academy are Ditton Primary School (0.4 miles), All Saints Upton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (0.7 miles), Oakfield Community Primary School (0.7 miles) and St Michaels Catholic Primary & Nursery School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.