Blacon High School, A Specialist Sports College
| Type | Secondary / Foundation school |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Address | Melbourne Road Blacon Chester Cheshire CH1 5JH |
| Phone | 01244371475 |
| Reference Number | 111396 |
Blacon High School is currently rated as 'Requires improvement' overall, with specific areas of education quality also marked as requiring improvement. The school's approach to supporting students is commendable, particularly for those facing personal challenges. Notably, the nurturing environment contributes positively to pupils' happiness and feelings of safety. However, attendance issues persist, especially among older students, which impacts their academic success. Some older pupils demonstrate gaps in learning, partly due to past curriculum flaws. While the school has made strides in improving the curriculum and addressing behavior management—resulting in a calmer classroom environment—there are concerns regarding teachers' confidence and competence to effectively deliver the curriculum. The leadership team has recognized these areas needing further development and is committed to enhancing the overall educational experience for all students.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 705 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 53.76%
Girls: 46.24% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 47.2% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 7.5% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 20.6 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 59 | 75 | 134 |
| 8 | 90 | 59 | 149 |
| 9 | 80 | 74 | 154 |
| 10 | 70 | 64 | 134 |
| 11 | 80 | 54 | 134 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 87.9% |
| White, Other | 5.5% |
| African | 1.8% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 1% |
| Mixed, Other | 0.6% |
| White & Asian | 0.4% |
| Indian | 0.4% |
| Asian, Other | 0.4% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.3% |
| Caribbean | 0.1% |
| Pakistani | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Requires Improvement |
| > Quality of education | Requires Improvement |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Good |
| > Personal Development | Good |
| > Leadership & Management | Requires Improvement |
| Last Report Date | 28 Nov 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 02 Apr 2025 | Monitoring visit |
| 28 Nov 2023 | School inspection: |
| 19 Oct 2021 | School inspection: |
| 01 Oct 2020 | Monitoring visit |
| 26 Jan 2016 | Full inspection: |
| 14 Jan 2014 | Monitoring visit |
| 05 Nov 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 06 Mar 2012 | Full inspection: |
| 17 Nov 2009 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 11 Mar 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 11 Jan 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 14 Feb 2000 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Pupils feel safe and well cared for in a nurturing environment.
- Improved support for pupils struggling to engage with their education.
- Rigorous behavior management processes have led to improved pupil behavior.
- Ambitious curriculum provided for key stage 3 pupils.
- Effective support for pupils with SEND and their transition to secondary school.
- Positive personal development and career preparation programs.
Areas for Improvement
- Some teachers lack confidence in delivering the curriculum effectively.
- Inconsistencies in curriculum delivery impact pupils' understanding.
- Attendance rates for some key stage 4 pupils are insufficient.
- Evaluation of some school initiatives lacks effectiveness.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 33.2 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 17.3% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 32.3% |
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 13 | 0 |
| Third Preference | 14 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
J H Godwin Primary School
Melbourne Road, Blacon, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 5JG |
0.07 miles |
|
Dee Point Primary School
Blacon Point Road, Blacon, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 5NF |
0.47 miles |
|
The Arches Community Primary School
Saughall Road, Blacon, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 5EZ |
0.5 miles |
|
Highfield Community Primary School
Blacon Point Road, Blacon, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 5LD |
0.57 miles |
|
St Theresa's Catholic Primary School
Kipling Road, Blacon, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 5UU |
0.74 miles |
|
Chester Blue Coat Church of England Primary School
Walpole Street, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 4HG |
1.62 miles |
|
Saughall All Saints Church of England Primary School
Church Road, Saughall, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 6EP |
1.65 miles |
|
Saltney Ferry C.P. School
Saltney Ferry Road, Flintshire, CH4 0BN |
1.67 miles |
|
St Anthony's R.C. Primary School
High Street, Flintshire, CH4 8SG |
1.79 miles |
|
St David's High School
St David's Terrace, Flintshire, CH4 0AE |
1.83 miles |
|
St Oswald's CofE Primary School
Grove Road, Mollington, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 6LG |
1.98 miles |
|
Saltney Wood Memorial C.P. School
Boundary Lane, Chester, CH4 8LN |
2.05 miles |
|
Mill View Primary School
Wealstone Lane, Upton, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1HB |
2.23 miles |
|
Upton Heath CofE Primary School
Upton Lane, Upton Heath, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1ED |
2.23 miles |
|
St Clare's Catholic Primary School
Hawthorn Road, Lache, Chester, Cheshire, CH4 8HX |
2.25 miles |
|
The Grosvenor Park Church of England Academy
Union Street, Chester, Union Street, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 1QP |
2.28 miles |
|
Newton Primary School
Kingsway West, Newton, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 2LA |
2.29 miles |
|
Lache Primary School
Hawthorn Road, Lache, Chester, Cheshire, CH4 8HX |
2.3 miles |
|
The Firs School
|
2.31 miles |
|
Upton Westlea Primary School
Upton Westlea Primary School, Weston Grove, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1QJ |
2.47 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
The Queen's School
City Walls Road, Chester, CH1 2NN |
1.79 miles |
|
Abbey School for Exceptional Children
10-12 Abbey Square, Chester, CH1 2HU |
1.97 miles |
|
Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College
Wealstone Lane, Upton, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1HD |
2.11 miles |
|
Chester International School
Queens Park Campus, Queens Park Road, Handbridge, Chester, Cheshire, CH4 7AE |
2.41 miles |
|
Queen's Park High School
Queens Park Road, Handbridge, Chester, Cheshire, CH4 7AE |
2.44 miles |
|
The Catholic High School, Chester
Old Wrexham Road, Handbridge, Chester, Cheshire, CH4 7HS |
2.52 miles |
|
Upton-by-Chester High School
St James Avenue, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1NN |
2.78 miles |
|
Maple Grove School
Clare Avenue, Chester, CH2 3HR |
2.85 miles |
|
The King's School
Wrexham Road, Chester, CH4 7QL |
2.87 miles |
|
Dee Banks School
Dee Banks, Sandy Lane, Deebanks School, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 5UX |
3.1 miles |
|
The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School
Vaughans Lane, Great Boughton, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 5XF |
3.15 miles |
|
The Hammond
Mannings Lane, Chester, CH2 4ES |
3.37 miles |
|
The Whitby High School
Sycamore Drive, Whitby, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH66 2NU |
4.24 miles |
|
Archers Brook SEMH Residential School
Chester Road, Great Sutton, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH66 2NA |
4.32 miles |
|
Christleton High School
Village Road, Christleton, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 7AD |
4.45 miles |
|
Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy
Capenhurst Lane, Whitby, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 7AQ |
4.74 miles |