King's Leadership Academy Hawthornes
Bootle, L20 6AQ · Sefton · secondary school
Check the area around this school
13th of 18 secondary schools in Sefton 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 — 1.9/10 against 156 of them, against 0.7/10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 17.1 · 2 | 30% | 0.06 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.57 · 13 | 25% | 0.32 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 35.7 · 6 | 10% | 0.06 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
King's Leadership Academy Hawthornes overview
How it's doing
The school was rated Good by Ofsted in 2023. In 2024/25, 17.0% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 32.2, compared with the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.57 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (1.5 out of 10 against similar schools, 0.6 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom
Pupils perform in Matilda the Musical and visit the Conway Centre.
Getting in
The published school roll is 708 pupils against a stated capacity of 600. 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
What specific support is available for pupils aiming to raise their Attainment 8 scores? How does the curriculum prepare students for the Progress 8 measure?
What Ofsted said about King's Leadership Academy Hawthornes
Overview
The report describes a school with an “increasingly good reputation” where pupils “embrace the school’s ASPIRE values and ethos.” Inspectors found that the curriculum now “meets the requirements of the national curriculum” and that achievement, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, has “improved considerably.”
Strengths
- The curriculum is ambitious, placing the English Baccalaureate at its heart and identifying “crucial knowledge and the key vocabulary” for pupils.
- Pupils “behave well,” responding “quickly and politely to teachers’ requests,” with lessons largely “free from interruption.”
- Staff support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively, helping them engage with the curriculum and obtain necessary qualifications.
- The school provides a “well-considered careers programme” and opportunities for personal development through clubs and leadership roles.
- Teachers’ subject knowledge is “strong” following rigorous training, and assessment practices have been adjusted to reduce staff workload.
Areas to improve
- In some subjects, teachers do not use assessment information sufficiently to adapt teaching, meaning some pupils “struggle to remember what they have learned.”
- Some pupils do not attend regularly, preventing them from accessing the full curriculum; the school must strengthen work with families to increase attendance.
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 | 33.4 |
| 2024/25 | 32.2 |
| 2025/26 | 35.7 |
| 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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