Hope Academy
Newton-le-Willows, WA12 0AQ · St. Helens · secondary school
Check the area around this school
5th of 9 secondary schools in St. Helens we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 4.0/10 against 812 of them, against 3.5/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 39.5 · 36 | 46% | 1.66 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.23 · 32 | 38% | 1.25 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 43.9 · 39 | 15% | 0.60 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Hope Academy overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 32.5% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 43.8, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 in 2023/24 was -0.23, indicating pupils did worse than nationally matched peers. Its results are much the same when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds, so the gap is not explained by intake (2.9 out of 10 either way).
Beyond the classroom
Pupils take part in an expedition to Tanzania.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,235 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,350. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to close the gap with the national median in Attainment 8? What specific support is available for students who are falling behind in English and maths? How does the Tanzania expedition integrate with the wider curriculum?
What Ofsted said about Hope Academy
Overview
Hope Academy is a secondary academy where pupils are proud of their school and feel safe, supported by strong relationships with staff. While behaviour and personal development are rated as good, the quality of education requires improvement due to inconsistent curriculum delivery across subjects. The report notes that while recent improvements have helped pupils know more, variability in teaching methods means some learners, particularly those with special educational needs, do not achieve as well as they could.
Strengths
- Pupils demonstrate "respect, courage, ambition and hope" and maintain "strong relationships with their teachers and pastoral staff."
- Behaviour is described as "good," with a "calm atmosphere" in classrooms and busy but "ordered" corridors.
- The "Inspire" programme and collective worship effectively support pupils’ personal development and understanding of community values.
- Leaders have overseen a "broad and ambitious" curriculum, with effective systems to identify and remedy gaps in reading knowledge.
- Safeguarding arrangements are "effective," and staff are considerate of workload and well-being.
Areas to improve
- Teachers must use the "most suitable techniques" consistently across all subjects to prevent gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding.
- Staff need to routinely check pupils’ understanding to identify and address misconceptions, particularly for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
- The school must ensure consistent teacher expectations and implementation of support strategies so that pupils with SEND achieve to their full potential.
Safeguarding
The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 42.7 |
| 2024/25 | 43.8 |
| 2025/26 | 43.9 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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