St Nicholas Catholic High School, Northwich

In 2026, pupils at St Nicholas Catholic High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.3 in Cheshire West and Chester and 47 across England.

48% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 42% in Cheshire West and Chester and 47% in England.

That is down from 50.8 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.17: pupils made 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 40.7, against 51 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.3 points.

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

For September 2026 entry, 182 families put St Nicholas Catholic High School as their first choice and 444 named it as one of their preferences, for 202 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 St Nicholas Catholic High School are Hartford Church of England High School (0.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.7); The County High School, Leftwich (0.9 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 50.1); The Rudheath Senior Academy (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 32.2); and Weaverham High School (2.4 miles, Attainment 8 53.5).

St Nicholas Catholic High School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Of the 197 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 91% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 33% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 60 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 50% went on to university or other higher education, 5% to apprenticeships and 30% into work. 16% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

12.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 99 pupils (8.2%) received SEN support and 65 (5.4%) 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.

St Nicholas Catholic High School has a resourced provision for autism: 15 places, 15 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Greenbank Rail Station, about 600 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).

18 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Wilfrids RC Primary School (outside), 10 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Nicholas Catholic 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 109 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cheshire West and Chester (71), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, St Nicholas Catholic High School issued 153 suspensions, 12.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to St Nicholas Catholic High School are St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School (under 0.1 miles), Kingsmead Primary School (0.3 miles), Hartford Manor Primary School & Nursery (0.3 miles) and Charles Darwin Community Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.