Ofsted: Expected standard trending_up Places Available emoji_events #15 in Cheshire West and Chester public Top 31% UK

Neston High School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

person Ms Kirsty Cunningham (Headteacher)

corporate_fareNESTON HIGH SCHOOL

location_onNeston, CH64 9NH

language Visit Website phone 01513363902

verified

Ofsted

Expected standard

Inspected 2026

groups

Students

1,757

trending_up

Attainment 8

46.2

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GCSE Rank

#15 in Cheshire West and Chester

#1,799 of 4,024 nationally

summarize

Neston High School is a Academy converter secondary school in Neston, serving ages 11-18. Assessed at Expected standard by Ofsted on its latest Report Card inspection.

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School Summary

Neston High School is an academy converter in Neston, Cheshire West and Chester, admitting pupils aged 11-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of NESTON HIGH SCHOOL. The school has approximately 1,712 pupils on roll, of whom 17% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2026, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 46.2, placing the school #15 in Cheshire West and Chester and #1,799 of 4,024 nationally. 40.30% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 15.0% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

The sixth form offers 20 A-level subjects. 30.9% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 6.9% at A*–A. In the 2022/23 leavers cohort, 8.5% progressed to Top-Third Higher Education institutions (ranked #1,404 nationally), out of 53.5% progressing to higher education overall. A-level value added: -0.33 — students made below-average progress at sixth form.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2026. The school's current overall rating is Expected standard. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Expected standard, behaviour and attitudes Expected standard, personal development Expected standard, and leadership and management Expected standard.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 15.9:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 4 permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 5.5 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

analytics

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2026

Attainment 8 Score

46.2

across 8 GCSE slots

Grade 5+ E&M

40.30%

Grade 4+ E&M

64.40%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)15.0%

5+ GCSEs (4+ incl. E&M)59.70%

Triple Science Entry15.40%

EBacc Slot Score12.9 / 30

2025

Attainment 8 Score

43.4

across 8 GCSE slots

Grade 5+ E&M

36.80%

Grade 4+ E&M

64.20%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)11.3%

Entering EBacc32.80%

EBacc APS3.7

2024

Progress 8 Score

0.22

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

45.1

Grade 5+ E&M

42.10%

Entering EBacc25.60%

EBacc APS3.81

2023

Progress 8 Score

0.18

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

46.1

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc31%

EBacc APS3.84

2022

Progress 8 Score

0.17

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

49.3

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc47%

EBacc APS4.3

2019

Progress 8 Score

-0.25

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

45.1

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc30%

EBacc APS3.72

2018

Progress 8 Score

0.02

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

46.2

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc26%

EBacc APS3.76

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2026

Stayed in Education / Employment

91.2%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)83.8%

Apprenticeships3.7%

Employment3.7%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5.7%

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)87%

Apprenticeships5%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)3%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

94%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)87%

Apprenticeships5%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)86%

Apprenticeships5%

Employment5%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

94%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)89%

Apprenticeships2%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)4%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

96%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)87%

Apprenticeships5%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)4%

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Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

A-level results for students who stayed in sixth form at this school. Value added measures how much progress students made relative to their GCSE starting point.

2025

A-Level Value Added

-0.33

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make below-expected progress at A-level.

Students

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*0.9%

Achieving A*–A6.9%

Achieving A*–B30.9%

VA Banding Below average

Retention rate96.1%

A-level subjects offered20

2024

A-Level Value Added

-0.18

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make below-expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

Students

Retention rate94.40%

Post-18 Destinations 88.4% sustained

school Higher Education (University) 53.5%

handshake Apprenticeships 4.7%

work Employment 29.5%

Not sustained / NEET10.1%

2023

Avg Grade

C-

Students

Retention rate94.80%

Post-18 Destinations (2022/23 leavers)82.9% sustained

school Higher Education (University) 39.3%

stars Top-Third Universities 8.5%

handshake Apprenticeships 9.4%

work Employment 33.3%

Not sustained / NEET12.8%

2022

Avg Grade

C+

Students

Retention rate96.2%

Post-18 Destinations 91.5% sustained

school Higher Education (University) 50.7%

handshake Apprenticeships 7%

work Employment 28.2%

Not sustained / NEET6.3%

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results & 16-19 Destination Measures

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Ranking History & Trajectory

National & Local Authority position based on DfE performance data · Methodology

Year	Secondary Overall (Nat)	LA Rank	GCSE Attainment	Progress 8 Rank	A-Level VA	Top-Third Uni	Overall Uni (HE)
2026	#1,910 / 4,024	#15	#1,799	#1	—	#1,404	#1,520
2025	#1,868 / 3,948	#14	#2,294	#1	#2,064	#1,404	#1,520
2024	#1,423 / 4,450	#10	#1,945	#1,055	#1,725	#1,404	#1,520
2023	#1,315 / 4,321	#11	#1,762	#1,069	—	—	#2,080
2022	#1,321 / 4,199	#9	#1,602	#1,091	—	—	#1,673
2019	#1,870 / 2,711	#11	#1,596	#2,011	—	—	—
2018	#1,398 / 2,537	#10	#1,366	#1,278	—	—	—

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

23 June 2026

Inspection Report

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08 February 2022

Inspection Report

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17 January 2017

Inspection Report

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15 May 2013

Inspection Report

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10 August 2012

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

4 Evaluations

2026-06-23

S5 Inspection REIF Report Card

Report Card

info

Why no single overall grade?

From autumn 2024 / 2025, Ofsted replaced single-word headline grades (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate) with individual area judgements on a Report Card.

Curriculum & Teaching

Expected standard

Achievement

Expected standard

Attendance & Behaviour

Expected standard

Personal Development

Expected standard

Inclusion

Expected standard

Leadership & Governance

Expected standard

Post-16 Provision

Expected standard

verified_user Safeguarding: Met

2017-01-17

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

2013-05-15

S5 Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Latest Ungraded: School remains Good

2009-09-15

None EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

6.7%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

3.8%(65 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

3pupils

gavel Exclusion recorded

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 1,724 pupils. During this period, there were 116 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 6.7%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	1,724	116	6.7%	7.3%	3
2024/25 (Autumn term)	1,729	74	4.3%	7.8%	1
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,729	53	3.1%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,729	58	3.4%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,727	64	3.7%	8.2%	2
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,754	53	3.0%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,757	51	2.9%	6.4%	1
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,755	35	2.0%	5.9%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,771	48	2.7%	4.7%	2
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,770	48	2.7%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	1,777	28	1.6%	4.4%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	1,736	37	2.1%	3.6%	1
2020/21 (Spring term)	1,738	6	0.3%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	1,735	58	3.3%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	1,702	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	1,702	19	1.1%	3.2%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	1,705	40	2.3%	4.2%	1
2018/19 (Summer term)	1,728	30	1.7%	3.1%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	1,728	18	1.0%	3.8%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,734	17	1.0%	3.8%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	1,698	23	1.4%	3.4%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	1,705	19	1.1%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	1,701	9	0.5%	3.7%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	1,659	3	0.2%	3.0%	3
2016/17 (Spring term)	1,664	10	0.6%	3.3%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	1,661	3	0.2%	3.1%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 111 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 63 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 53 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 20 pupils

Visual Impairment 9 pupils

Hearing Impairment 8 pupils

Physical Disability 7 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 5 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

Overall, how do parents view this school?

65%Positive

My child is happy at this school.

74%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

70%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

When bullying took place, the school dealt with it quickly and effectively.

strongly agree18%

agree14%

disagree18%

strongly disagree38%

not applicable64%

Neither agree nor disagree11%

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree27%

agree34%

disagree15%

strongly disagree10%

don't know1%

Neither agree nor disagree13%

When the school makes decisions it has the child's best interests at heart.

strongly agree32%

agree29%

Neither agree nor disagree14%

disagree10%

strongly disagree16%

The school gives my child the right support to enable them to learn well.

strongly agree33%

agree33%

Neither agree nor disagree9%

disagree13%

strongly disagree11%

The school communicates well with me about the things I need to know.

strongly agree37%

agree30%

disagree11%

strongly disagree13%

Neither agree nor disagree9%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly.

strongly agree30%

agree23%

disagree12%

strongly disagree17%

not applicable9%

Neither agree nor disagree9%

Does your child have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND)?

yes38%

no62%

My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree33%

agree19%

disagree12%

strongly disagree25%

Neither agree nor disagree11%

Would you recommend this school to another parent?

yes74%

no26%

Top Secondary Schools in Cheshire West and Chester

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College

Good

location_on Tarporley, CW6 0BL

emoji_events #1 in LA

Christleton High School

Good

location_on Chester, CH3 7AD

emoji_events #2 in LA

Bishop Heber High School

Expected standard

location_on Malpas, SY14 8JD

emoji_events #3 in LA

Upton-by-Chester High School

Good

location_on Chester, CH2 1NN

emoji_events #4 in LA

St Nicholas Catholic High School

Good

location_on Northwich, CW8 1JW

emoji_events #5 in LA

Weaverham High School

Expected standard

location_on Northwich, CW8 3HT

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Cheshire West and Chester arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

Ranking History & Trajectory

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Secondary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Overall, how do parents view this school?

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

When bullying took place, the school dealt with it quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

When the school makes decisions it has the child's best interests at heart.

The school gives my child the right support to enable them to learn well.

The school communicates well with me about the things I need to know.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly.

Does your child have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND)?

My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

Would you recommend this school to another parent?

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Secondary Schools in Cheshire West and Chester

Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College

Christleton High School

Bishop Heber High School

Upton-by-Chester High School

St Nicholas Catholic High School

Weaverham High School