Birkdale High School
Academy converter · 936 pupils
84% stayed in education · Attainment 8 51.9
Voluntary aided school
Holy Family Catholic High School
- Pupils on roll
- 1,012of 869 places
- Free school meals
- 26.8%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 172
- Ofsted
- Standards maintained, 9 October 2024Read the Ofsted report
What the data says
Of the 157 pupils who finished Year 11 at Holy Family Catholic High School in 2023, 59% stayed on in Holy Family Catholic High School’s own sixth form (Sefton average 25%), 29% went to a further education college and 2% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 68 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 49% went to university (Sefton 27%, England 37%), and 9% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Religious Studies is unusually popular at GCSE: 87% of the year group took it, against 31% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were in line with the national picture: Attainment 8 of 44.8 against 46.1 across England and 42.9 in Sefton, with 44% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Sefton and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | This school | Sefton | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 157 | 3,063 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 93% | 89% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 89% | 83% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 59% | 25% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 1% | 2% | 13% |
| — further education college | 29% | 53% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| Employment | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 4% | 8% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 3% | 4% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | This school | Sefton | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 68 | 2,579 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 93% | 75% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 49% | 27% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 9% | 12% | 19% |
| Further education | 1% | 7% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 10% | 8% | 7% |
| Employment | 31% | 32% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 4% | 19% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | This school | Sefton | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 44.8 | 42.9 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 44% | 40% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 63% | 60% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 12% | 38% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.70 | 3.70 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 28% | 30% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 34.7 | 31.3 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 48.7 | 47.8 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 1% | 7% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 166 | 97% | 88% | 13% | 22% | 69% |
| English Language | 163 | 95% | 89% | 20% | 20% | 81% |
| English Literature | 159 | 92% | 86% | 15% | 21% | 70% |
| Religious Studies | 150 | 87% | 31% | 17% | 32% | 68% |
| Combined Science | 148 | 86% | 65% | 7% | 9% | 60% |
| History | 88 | 51% | 41% | 10% | 26% | 56% |
| Geography | 51 | 30% | 41% | 16% | 25% | 59% |
| Physical Education | 45 | 26% | 11% | 16% | 24% | 91% |
| Spanish | 32 | 19% | 19% | 31% | 27% | 84% |
| Fine Art | 28 | 16% | 9% | 14% | 28% | 75% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 20 | 12% | 8% | 0% | 21% | 55% |
| Computer Science | 16 | 9% | 13% | 19% | 30% | 50% |
| Drama | 15 | 9% | 7% | 20% | 27% | 87% |
| Biology | 15 | 9% | 23% | 20% | 45% | 87% |
| Chemistry | 13 | 8% | 23% | 38% | 47% | 100% |
| Physics | 13 | 8% | 23% | 15% | 46% | 100% |
| French | 12 | 7% | 18% | 67% | 29% | 100% |
| Dance | 6 | 3% | 1% | 17% | 27% | 100% |
| Photography | 1 | 1% | 6% | — | 19% | — |
| Art and Design | 1 | 1% | 7% | — | 24% | — |
| Polish | 1 | 1% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports Coaching | 70 | 100% | — |
| Small Business Management | 64 | 98% | — |
| Health Studies | 26 | 40% | — |
| Engineering Studies | 22 | 34% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 20 | 31% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 6 | 9% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 6 | 9% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | This school | Sefton | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 182 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 65 | 897 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C | C | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 30.66 | 29.93 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B+ | C | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 30% | 9% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | 13 | 20% | 20% |
| English Literature | 13 | 20% | 11% |
| History | 13 | 20% | 13% |
| Spanish | 11 | 17% | 2% |
| Media Studies | 10 | 15% | 4% |
| Mathematics | 8 | 12% | 31% |
| Drama | 6 | 9% | 2% |
| Physics | — | — | 12% |
| Physical Education | — | — | 3% |
| French | — | — | 1% |
| Computer Science | — | — | 5% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 52 | 80% | — |
| Medical Science | VRQ Level 3 | 30 | 46% | — |
| Business Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 27 | 42% | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 22 | 34% | — |
| Computer Architecture / Systems | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 18 | 28% | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 16 | 25% | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D* | 16 | 25% | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (All) | 15 | 23% | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | 14 | 22% | — |
| Chemistry | GCE AS level (All) | 8 | 12% | — |
| Physics | GCE AS level (All) | 6 | 9% | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | 6 | 9% | — |
| Physical Education | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Chemistry | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Physics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Sefton
Chesterfield High School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,692 pupils
79% stayed in education · Attainment 8 48.4
Christ The King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre
Voluntary aided school · sixth form · 822 pupils
89% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.8
Deyes High School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,336 pupils
87% stayed in education · Attainment 8 42.8
Formby High School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,157 pupils
83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 54.3
Greenbank High School
Academy converter · 1,025 pupils
91% stayed in education · Attainment 8 50.6
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.