Bishop Heber High School
Foundation school · sixth form · 1,293 pupils
84% stayed in education · Attainment 8 53.8
Academy sponsor led
Ellesmere Port Church of England College
- Pupils on roll
- 777of 1,350 places
- Free school meals
- 44.3%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 82
- Ofsted
- Good, 28 March 2023Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: University of Chester CE Academy (URN 135941, until 30 November 2018).
What the data says
Of the 87 pupils who finished Year 11 at Ellesmere Port Church of England College in 2023, 18% stayed on in Ellesmere Port Church of England College’s own sixth form (Cheshire West and Chester average 32%), 46% went to a further education college and none started an apprenticeship.
Among the 25 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 48% went to university (Cheshire West and Chester 57%, England 37%), and 4% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
A level grades average D, well below the England average of B-.
Music is unusually popular at GCSE: 26% of the year group took it, against 5% of pupils across England.
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 Cheshire West and Chester and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | This school | Cheshire West and Chester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 87 | 3,827 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 82% | 91% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 72% | 83% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 18% | 32% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 7% | 15% | 13% |
| — further education college | 46% | 34% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 0% | 4% | 3% |
| Employment | 9% | 4% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 11% | 6% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 7% | 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 | Cheshire West and Chester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 25 | 2,139 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 84% | 90% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 48% | 57% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 4% | 35% | 19% |
| Further education | 4% | 2% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 0% | 6% | 7% |
| Employment | 32% | 25% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 12% | 7% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | This school | Cheshire West and Chester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 39.0 | 44.6 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 26% | 42% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 45% | 63% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 28% | 40% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.21 | 3.96 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 39% | 24% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 31.8 | 30.3 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 43.7 | 49.3 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 24% | 8% | 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 | 80 | 98% | 88% | 3% | 22% | 53% |
| English Language | 80 | 98% | 89% | 4% | 20% | 54% |
| English Literature | 79 | 96% | 86% | 4% | 21% | 67% |
| Religious Studies | 78 | 95% | 31% | 14% | 32% | 54% |
| Combined Science | 46 | 56% | 65% | 0% | 9% | 26% |
| History | 40 | 49% | 41% | 0% | 26% | 33% |
| Geography | 38 | 46% | 41% | 3% | 25% | 58% |
| Design and Technology | 35 | 43% | 11% | 20% | 23% | 83% |
| Physics | 33 | 40% | 23% | 3% | 46% | 76% |
| Chemistry | 33 | 40% | 23% | 6% | 47% | 82% |
| Biology | 33 | 40% | 23% | 9% | 45% | 79% |
| Art and Design | 23 | 28% | 7% | 4% | 24% | 74% |
| Music | 21 | 26% | 5% | 10% | 33% | 38% |
| Spanish | 16 | 20% | 19% | 0% | 27% | 25% |
| Computer Science | 15 | 18% | 13% | 7% | 30% | 27% |
| Drama | 6 | 7% | 7% | 0% | 27% | 83% |
| Chinese | 3 | 4% | 1% | — | 75% | — |
| Polish | 3 | 4% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| Arabic | 2 | 2% | 1% | — | 47% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 39 | 100% | — |
| Small Business Management | 21 | 100% | — |
| Health Studies | 18 | 100% | — |
| Sports Studies | 8 | 67% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | This school | Cheshire West and Chester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 42 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 12 | 1,955 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | D | B- | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 20.00 | 38.11 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | — | B | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | — | 23% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Literature | — | — | 11% |
| Geography | — | — | 10% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
| Mathematics | — | — | 31% |
| Physics | — | — | 12% |
| Sociology | — | — | 13% |
| Art and Design | — | — | 1% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
| Product Design | — | — | 2% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Cheshire West and Chester
Blacon High School, A Specialist Sports College
Foundation school · 651 pupils
62% stayed in education · Attainment 8 33.2
Chester International School
Studio schools · sixth form · 229 pupils
75% stayed in education · Attainment 8 34.5
Christleton High School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,382 pupils
88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 54.8
Hartford Church of England High School
Voluntary aided school · 1,102 pupils
83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 50.3
Helsby High School
Community school · sixth form · 1,211 pupils
90% stayed in education · Attainment 8 47.1
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.