Best Secondary Schools in Halton 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 7 schools across Halton. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Halton has 7 open secondary schools. Of the 7 with a published Ofsted inspection, 1 (14%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 57% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Wade Deacon High School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Halton follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

7
Total schools
1
Outstanding (historic grade)
14%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
60.4%
Avg KS2 SATs
34
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 Wade Deacon High School
Secondary
 Outstanding 77 View school
🥈 Sandymoor Ormiston Academy
Secondary
 Good 58 View school
🥉 Saints Peter and Paul Catholic High School
Secondary
 Good 54 View school
4. Ormiston Chadwick Academy
Secondary
 Good 54 View school
5. The Heath School
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 41 View school
6. Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 37 View school
7. Blessed Carlo Acutis Catholic and Church of England Academy
Secondary
 Inadequate 29 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Halton

Best primary schools in HaltonTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in HaltonTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in HaltonPrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in HaltonReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in WarringtonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in St. HelensCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in KnowsleyCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Cheshire West and ChesterCompare neighbouring authority

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Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in Halton?
There are 7 open secondary schools in Halton (closed schools are excluded). 1 of the 7 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated secondary schools in Halton?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Halton is Wade Deacon High School. The full ranked table above lists the top 7 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Halton?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Halton?
Primary and secondary applications in Halton are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Halton council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.