Norton Canes High School
Cannock, WS11 9SP · Staffordshire · secondary school
Check the area around this school
49th of 56 secondary schools in Staffordshire we can score, 70 in total — the rest without enough published data. 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 — 3.8/10 against 511 of them, against 2.3/10 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 | 5 | 35% | 0.19 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 35.4 · 25 | 30% | 0.76 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.49 · 16 | 25% | 0.41 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 43.5 · 36 | 10% | 0.36 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Norton Canes High School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 18.2% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 34.8, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.49 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Ofsted rated the school "Requires improvement" in June 2024. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (1.3 out of 10 against similar schools, 0.8 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 400 pupils against a stated capacity of 724. 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 between their current attainment and the national median? What specific actions are being taken to address the "Requires improvement" rating from the 2024 inspection? How does the curriculum prepare students for the next stage of education given the recent progress scores?
What Ofsted said about Norton Canes High School
Overview
Norton Canes High School is a small secondary institution where staff provide individual care, and pupils value the support received. The report states that the school has "made progress since the last inspection" and that leaders have begun to tackle underlying weaknesses, though some improvements remain at an "early stage." While behaviour has improved and the curriculum is now "coherently structured," inconsistencies in teaching and high levels of persistent absence continue to hinder pupil progress.
Strengths
- Staff know pupils well, and the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is "much improved," with accurate identification of needs and effective support tools like ‘pupil passports’.
- The curriculum is "coherently structured and sequenced," with positive changes to the range of courses available at key stage 4, including separate science subjects.
- An "effective programme of reading support" is in place, including targeted interventions for phonics, which helps pupils with weak reading skills.
- Governance has "improved significantly" with new governors providing effective challenge and support, while staff are "fully behind new leaders."
- Pupils benefit from a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities, including The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and various clubs.
Areas to improve
- Teachers must consistently check pupils’ learning to ensure gaps in knowledge and misconceptions are picked up quickly.
- Work must be better matched to pupils’ abilities, with higher expectations to ensure all pupils produce work of a consistently high quality.
- The school must reduce the high number of pupils who are persistently absent and strengthen the sixth-form induction and recruitment process.
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 | 36.9 |
| 2024/25 | 34.8 |
| 2025/26 | 43.5 |
| 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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