Outwood Academy Haydock, St. Helens

In 2026, pupils at Outwood Academy Haydock averaged an Attainment 8 score of 42.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.9 in St. Helens and 47 across England.

44% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 40% in St. Helens and 47% in England.

That is up from 41.2 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.28: 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 33.8, against 48.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Engineering Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 123 families put Outwood Academy Haydock as their first choice and 285 named it as one of their preferences, for 135 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 Outwood Academy Haydock are St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy (1.3 miles, Attainment 8 45.1); St Cuthbert's Catholic Academy (1.8 miles); St Cuthbert's Catholic High School (1.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 33.9); and The Byrchall High School (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.8).

Outwood Academy Haydock's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.

Outwood Academy Haydock is one of 40 schools run by Outwood Grange Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43.4 in 2024/25.

82 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Outwood Academy Haydock (as of September 2025): 68% would recommend the school, 77% say their child is happy there and 45% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (79%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (45%).

Of the 170 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 84% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 45% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

39.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 6.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 145 pupils (18.3%) received SEN support and 52 (6.6%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

Outwood Academy Haydock has a resourced provision for moderate learning difficulties: 60 places, 54 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Garswood Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gardiner Avenue (opposite), 70 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 91 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in St. Helens (144).

In 2024/25, Outwood Academy Haydock issued 371 suspensions, 45.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 8 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Outwood Academy Haydock are Legh Vale Primary School (0.3 miles), Grange Valley Primary School (0.4 miles), St James' Church of England Primary School (0.7 miles) and Haydock English Martyrs' Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.