The Grange School, Runcorn

Ofsted's report card from its 30 June 2026 inspection grades The Grange School on 7 areas: 1 strong standard, 5 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Early years - Strong standard. "Leaders have a highly ambitious vision for how they want children to start their time at The Grange School."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Recently, leaders have improved the systems and structures in place to enhance how regularly pupils attend school."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have improved the curriculum across all subjects and year groups since the previous inspection."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have embedded systems that make sure that every pupil matters here."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "In recent years, leadership has strengthened further."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have embedded a personal development and wellbeing programme that builds from Nursery to Year 11."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils do not attain as well as they should in national examinations at the end of key stage 4."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should strengthen the systems in place to analyse and improve the rates of attendance so that pupils continue to attend school regularly"; "Leaders should continue to improve how well teachers identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and provide effective support so that all pupils can achieve their potential in national examinations"; "Leaders should continue to work collaboratively between primary and secondary phases to sharpen the systems they have in place to evaluate the impact of their actions. They should use this information to further strengthen improvements across all areas of the school".

In its own words: "Schools have a duty to teach British Values including Democracy, the Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, Mutual Respect and tolerance of those of other faiths and beliefs. Teachers are required in the conduct section of their Standards, to uphold public trust in the profession by not undermining fundamental British Values. We expect all staff to model and teach these values."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am genuinely delighted and proud to be the Executive Principal of The Grange Academy. I have worked in Runcorn for over 25 years, during this time I have seen many changes in the world of education, but the one aspect of it that has always remained is how proud I am to be part of this community."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include dance, drama and photography.

In 2026, pupils at The Grange School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 36, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 40.1 in Halton and 47 across England.

26% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 34% in Halton and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 36.4.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.84: pupils made well 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 30.7, against 44.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 14.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and Spanish.

For September 2026 entry, 139 families put The Grange School as their first choice and 281 named it as one of their preferences, for 142 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 The Grange School are Blessed Carlo Acutis Catholic and Church of England Academy (0.6 miles, Attainment 8 37.5); The Heath School (0.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 41); Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy (2.1 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 37); and Sandymoor Ormiston Academy (2.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.2).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than The Grange School.

The Grange School is one of 10 schools run by Wade Deacon Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.5 in 2024/25.

50 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Grange School (as of April 2026): 90% would recommend the school, 92% say their child is happy there and 79% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (79%).

Of the 137 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 79% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 71% to a further education college and 2% into work.

52.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 6.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 295 pupils (24.6%) received SEN support and 68 (5.7%) 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 Grange School has a resourced provision for autism: 43 places, 44 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Runcorn Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is LATHAM AVENUE, 120 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 259 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 Halton (166), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The Grange School issued 369 suspensions, 31.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 7 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Grange School are The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School (0.3 miles), Castle View Primary School (0.3 miles), Halton Lodge Nursery & Primary School (0.4 miles) and St Edward's Catholic Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.