The Cavendish High Academy, Runcorn
The Cavendish High Academy is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Runcorn. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2011)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Cavendish High Academy in detail
The Cavendish High Academy in its own words
In its own words: "May I take this opportunity to say hello and offer you a very warm welcome on behalf of all at Cavendish. Cavendish High is an outstanding school for young people, with special educational needs, aged 11-19 years. We are an ever progressing school that chose to convert to Academy status during 2014."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to our Lower School! The beginning of secondary school marks an important transition in a child’s learning journey. As the excitement of early September gives way to the sustained engagement of our adapted secondary school curriculum, children will begin to mature and develop and explore the world in a deeper and more profound way."
The school runs a breakfast club from 9:15am.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Cavendish High Academy are Hope Corner School (0.2 miles, Good); Thrive Education and Wellbeing (1.4 miles); Rivacre Brook (1.4 miles); and Weston Point College (1.6 miles, Good, selective).
Hope Corner SchoolThrive Education and WellbeingRivacre BrookWeston Point College
Where pupils go next
Of the 12 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 92% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
59.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at The Cavendish High Academy has an education, health and care plan (108 of 110 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
The Cavendish High Academy provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Runcorn Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Malpas Road, 260 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Cavendish High Academy issued 2 suspensions, 1.9 for every 100 pupils, and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from February 2011, 15 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its February 2011 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
59.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Cavendish High Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Cavendish High Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Cavendish High Academy is in Halton; for families living there:
Apply to Halton for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 10
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 6 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
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 Halton is 9.5 (the median across 70 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
School Occupancy
122%
Over capacity
110 pupils
90 places
20 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Runcorn
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Runcorn
Across Halton council
Places available
1,690
Applications
1,471
Got 1st preference
96.2%
Got preferred school
99.2%
All secondary applications across Halton council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
2
SEN Support
108
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Cavendish High Academy provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
110
Total Pupils
71
Boys
39
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
7.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,254
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
12.0%
Overall absence
35.8%
Persistent absence
81
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The Cavendish High Academy
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Cavendish High Academy
What is The Cavendish High Academy's Ofsted rating?
The Cavendish High Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2011, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Cavendish High Academy?
No fixed boundary. When The Cavendish High Academy is oversubscribed, Halton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Cavendish High Academy?
The Cavendish High Academy has around 110 pupils on roll. 59% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Cavendish High Academy have specialist SEN provision?
The Cavendish High Academy provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at The Cavendish High Academy?
12% of sessions were missed at The Cavendish High Academy in 2024/25. 35.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Cavendish High Academy?
Apply through Halton's coordinated admissions process, naming The Cavendish High Academy 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 The Cavendish High Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 6 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 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 Halton is 9.5 (the median across 70 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Cavendish High Academy?
The Cavendish High Academy is at Lincoln Close, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 4YX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)