Ormiston Chadwick Academy
Liverpool Road, Widnes, WA8 7HUOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Ormiston Chadwick Academy is a secondary school in Widnes for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 69 schools in Halton. It ranks 2nd of 3 secondary schools in Widnes. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 14 May 2024, report published 7 July 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 14 May 2024
Ormiston Chadwick Academy is a friendly and caring community. Pupils have positive relationships with their peers and staff. Pupils are happy and they feel safe in school. The school has high expectations for pupils' learning. In most subjects, pupils achieve well. Mostly, pupils behave well and they engage purposefully in their activities. Strong pastoral support underpins pupils' positive attitudes to their education. Pupils value their positions of responsibility. For example, some pupils act as reading buddies for younger pupils. Other pupils contribute to trust-wide forums to share their views. The school and the trust listen carefully to pupils' ideas and act on this feedback. The school provides pupils with a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities. These include participation in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, choir, drama and a varied range of sports clubs. The school supports pupils, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to broaden their interests and experiences.
What the school should improve
- In a few subjects, some pupils have gaps in their learning from the previous curriculum. This makes it difficult for them to connect their learning when they are introduced to new subject knowledge. The school should ensure that teachers help pupils to bridge the gap between the previous curriculum and the heightened expectations in the revised curriculum.
- In a small number of subjects, some teachers do not use assessment strategies sufficiently well to make sure that pupils have understood their learning. This hinders pupils from deepening their knowledge over time. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment techniques more effectively so that they are checking pupils' learning beyond their basic recall of facts.
- Some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. This hinders how well these pupils progress through the curriculum. The school should ensure that it analyses the impact of its strategies to improve attendance, so that these pupils and their families receive the most appropriate support.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
179 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
884 pupils on roll, with places for 976
Schools near Ormiston Chadwick Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saints Peter and Paul Catholic High School | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 41.4 |
| Wade Deacon High School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 54.0 |
| Tower College | 2 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 56.1 |
| Rainhill High School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 45.9 |
| The Grange School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 36.4 |
School details
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- ORMISTON ACADEMIES TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Jennifer Lowry-Johnson
- Phone
- 01514245038
- Address
- Liverpool Road, Widnes, WA8 7HU
- Local authority
- Halton
- URN
- 140864
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.