Priestley College, Warrington
Priestley College is a post-16 school for pupils aged 16 to 19 in Warrington, part of The Challenge Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Priestley College in detail
Priestley College in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, dance and choir.
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 4 November 2026, an open evening on Wednesday 4 November 2026 and an open day on Saturday 21 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Warrington
Source: The school's own website
The trust
Priestley College is one of 14 schools run by The Challenge Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 1210 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 37% went on to university or other higher education, 10% to apprenticeships and 34% into work. 11% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Warrington Bank Quay Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Causeway Hotel (near), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 346 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Warrington (96), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Personal development, Leadership & management.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes.
At a Glance
0.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Special Measures
Sixth Form Performance (A-Level)
A-Level Results
C
Average grade
30.2
Points per entry
C+
Best 3 A-Levels
7%
Achieving AAB+
Average
Value added
747
A-Level students
89%
Retention rate
2024/25 academic year
A-Level Subjects Offered
+ 21 more subjects
2024/25 academic year - entries by number of students
After A-Levels - Leaver Destinations
After A-Levels (Year 13) - 1,210 students
2023/24 data
University & Higher Education Destinations
11%
Top-third university
53%
Degree course
57%
Any L4+ destination
3%
Apprenticeships
Based on 977 students completing 16-18 study
2022/23 cohort - "Top-third" = most selective third of UK universities by student intake
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Latest from Priestley College
Outstanding results for Class of 2026
26 Aug 2026
Oxford inspiration for high achievers
21 Jul 2026
Students’ art displayed at leading gallery
21 Jul 2026
Journey to remember in Uganda
20 Jul 2026
Learning brought to life at Chester Zoo
14 Jul 2026
Wizard of Oz wows audiences
14 Jul 2026
From Priestley College's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Priestley College
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 10 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Warrington is 11 (the median across 96 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Warrington
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Warrington
Across Warrington council
Places available
2,880
Applications
2,620
Got 1st preference
88.9%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All secondary applications across Warrington council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
Questions parents ask about Priestley College
What is Priestley College's Ofsted rating?
Priestley College was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023.
What is the catchment area for Priestley College?
No fixed boundary. When Priestley College is oversubscribed, Warrington allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How do I apply to Priestley College?
Apply through Warrington's coordinated admissions process, naming Priestley College on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Priestley College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 10 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Warrington is 11 (the median across 96 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Priestley College?
Priestley College is at Loushers Lane, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 6RD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)