Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College

Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College has sustained a high standard of education since its last inspection, maintaining a 'Good' rating across all areas except for sixth-form provision, which is deemed 'Outstanding'. Leaders prioritize academic success and personal development, ensuring that pupils, including those with special educational needs, receive a quality education. The school fosters a positive environment where most students feel happy and safe, supported by strong relationships with staff. However, some areas need attention, particularly in clarifying the subject knowledge needed for some key stage 3 subjects and implementing reading support programs for pupils who struggle with literacy.

Strengths

• High-quality education for all pupils, including those with SEND.
• Strong relationships between pupils and staff.
• Ambitious curriculum designed effectively for key stages 3, 4, and sixth form.
• Excellent support and guidance for students' personal development.
• Robust careers programme with high-quality guidance.
• Effective safeguarding measures with proactive engagement.

Areas for Improvement

• Clarification of essential knowledge in a few key stage 3 subjects is still needed.
• Implementation of reading support programs for struggling pupils has not yet occurred.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College attended 93.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 15.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 3.5% of pupils at Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College had 17.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 6.5% of pupils at Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College received £7,039 and spent £6,838 for each of its 1,187 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £57,000 (£48 per pupil).

Across all 4 schools of Sandstone Trust, income was £7,130 and spending £6,984 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Tarporley · Cheshire West and Chester local authority: places and applications

Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College is part of Sandstone Trust, which runs 5 schools. The nearest others:

• Eaton Primary School Tarporley
• Tarvin Primary School Chester
• Weaverham High School Northwich
• Kings Moat Community Primary School Chester

What is Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College is Good, from an inspection in June 2023.

When was Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College last inspected by Ofsted?

Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College was last inspected in June 2023.

How many pupils does Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College have?

Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College has 1,219 pupils on roll.

What age range does Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College cover?

Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 57.5, and 66% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College?

Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College is at Eaton Road, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 0BL.