Walton High School, Stafford

In its own words: "The fundamental intention of Walton High School in order to serve its community, is to sustain an ethos throughout the entire school that promotes teaching, learning and achievement of the highest quality thereby enabling every individual to be valued and valuable in their own right."

From the headteacher's welcome: "With currently over 200 students, Walton Sixth Form is Stafford’s largest school-based sixth form. Over two-thirds of our Year, 11 students progress into Sixth Form each year. We also welcome students from other secondary schools and are joined each year by students from all parts of Staffordshire, Shropshire and the West Midlands."

In 2026, pupils at Walton High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.3, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.7 in Staffordshire and 47 across England.

44% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 39% in Staffordshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 50.6 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 38.5, against 49 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 173 families put Walton High School as their first choice and 294 named it as one of their preferences, for 181 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 Walton High School are Stafford Manor High School (1.9 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 35.3); Stafford Manor High School (1.9 miles); The Weston Road Academy (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.1); and Blessed William Howard Catholic School (2.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 55.1).

Walton High School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.

Walton High School is one of 2 schools run by Walton Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.

282 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Walton High School (as of September 2025): 72% would recommend the school, 79% say their child is happy there and 51% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (82%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (51%).

Of the 207 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 91% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 41% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 115 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 55% went on to university or other higher education, 7% to apprenticeships and 24% into work. 17% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

7.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 5.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (82%), Mixed (6%) and Asian (5%).

In 2026, 166 pupils (13.2%) received SEN support and 33 (2.6%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Stafford Rail Station, about 2.5 miles away in a straight line.

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Methodist Church (adjacent), 140 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Walton High School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 34 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Staffordshire (86).

In 2024/25, Walton High School issued 124 suspensions, 9.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Walton High School are Oakridge Primary School (0.3 miles), Berkswich CofE (VC) Primary School (0.3 miles), St Anne's Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles) and Leasowes Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.