Feedback on secondary schools in Runcorn and Widnes (Cheshire)?

[Humboldthny]

Does anyone have any feedback on the secondary schools in the Runcorn and Widnes areas?....I’m having a hard time finding much at all on the schools that’s either current or informative, from a parent perspective. Especially would like to hear about Ormiston Chadwick Academy, The Grange Academy, or Wade Deacon High School.

Wade deacon has a really good reputation, don’t know about the rest sorry

Wade Deacon has been the school with the good reputation for many years. It is also close to Widnes train station where Paul Simon is reputed to have started to write the words for "Homeward Bound" as a bit of extra information !

How about that area in general as a place to live? I’ve heard it’s a bit down trodden, but one of the schools there has the ideal set up for my kids if we move there and they were extremely nice and helpful when I contacted them by email.

I used to go to the sixth form there along time ago and my sister went to Wade Deacon after a poor start academically elsewhere. Wade deacon was the making f her as it got her basic gases and provided qualifications in typing and shorthand ( she was bottom set , not very academic) which set up her up for a secretarial course and an initial career in the police administration.

My experience was along tome ago but both the school and sixth form have a very strong reputation still. Cronton is a nice area to live and both schools are easily accessible.

Thanks for the input...can anyone tell me about the Palacefields or Windmill Hill areas? Sadly not much for sale in the Cronton area at our price point. Are they just typical suburban neighborhoods? The only feedback I’ve found on the Runcorn area is people saying the older part is rundown and they grew up there and would never move back, which is how I feel about where I grew up, which is a very nice area just not for me anymore....🤷🏼‍♀️

Bumping....please see above post....we’re traveling soon to the area and would love to hear about these areas...

Historically Wade Deacon was the best in the area but OCA has now surpassed it in terms of student outcomes. Both are outstanding according to Ofsted. OCA is a smaller school so class sizes are smaller. WD has a more affluent intake and OCA serves a more deprived area but its intake is diversifying due to its recent success.

The Grange does not have a good reputation!

We are moving from the US and we don’t have schools that belong to trusts so I’m unfamiliar with how they work.....I was aware that the Grange didn’t have a good reputation, but it seems that a year ago it became part of the trust the runs Wade Deacon. It also appears that they have torn down their old campus and have a brand new building. Is this promising? We have a bit of a special situation in that our daughter by age should be in Y11, but to accommodate the GCSE prep we are looking for schools that will enroll her out of cohort into Y10. So far we’ve had positive reponses to this from Ormiston Chadwick, The Heath, The Grange and Sir Thomas Boteler High School in Warrington and Lymm High School (although they are currently full in her year). Thoughts? We are traveling to the area next week and I have visits set up at all 5 schools.

Wombatsears....can you provide me with some specifics?

There are a few schools that are under the Wade Deacon Trust and they are nowhere near as good as WD itself. WD gets good results because of the area it is in - relatively affluent. Other schools in the WD trust don’t have this luxury and so don’t perform as well. Anyone can build a new building but it won’t mean outcomes for students will improve.
I have heard of class sizes of 50 at WD which is insane even by British standards.

Lymm High isn’t brilliant - I know teachers there who comment on poor behaviour. The Heath also doesn’t have a brilliant rep. Can’t comment on Thomas Boteler as don’t know it but if you’re looking at Warrington look at Kings Leadership Academy.

Out of the schools you mention I would only consider either OCA or WD itself. Both very good schools.

Ok apparently Thomas Boteler isn’t very good results wise but has a promising new head teacher...

Look for changes in head teachers! Check performance of their previous schools (has ofsted rating improved or declined under them?)
Don’t go on reputation. Dd’s School has a historical bad reputation, got a new teacher after ofsted 3-4 years ago and is now an amazing school with a good rating. Ds’s school has a much better reputation. It’s ok but not great.

Don't look at Windmill Hill or Palacefields. As already mentioned you need to look at Higher Runcorn which is lovely.
The Heath is the best of the schools in Runcorn and Wade Deacon in Widnes as far as I am aware.

I do apologise OP, seems a was mistaken about Lymm High which is a very good school - I was confusing it with somewhere else. Although I would still look into Kings Leadership Academy in Warrington as they lead on results

Howmanysleepstilchristmas...is there someplace in particular I can find the previous schools head teachers were at, or do I need to use my internet sleuthing skills? 🙂 I’m leaning towards Thomas Boteler because on paper it seems to be the most similar to my daighter’s current school, it’s a smaller school which I think would ease the transition a bit. Regardless, I’m keeping an open mind...Lymm is currently full in her year, but that can always change.

Unfortunately, I haven’t heard back from King’s Leadership or Wade Deacon on whether or not they would take our daughter in Y10....King’s was my top choice during my initial research.

Polgara2 and Heartlake...thanks for the info on neighborhoods. It’s a bit disappointing about Windmill Hill because that’s where I’ve found a coup,e of the nicer rental properties. I’ll check out Higher Runcorn and Weston Village.

I would suggest posting on Facebook sites, you can get more personal advise. But these aren’t pleasant county areas, there’s a high level of crime, hence prices are low for housing.

I think you'll find that any area has good and bad parts. But the whole of Runcorn and Widnes are by no means unpleasant and full of crime!

I work in Halton. There are good parts and bad parts, Widnes is probably nicer to live in in my opinion.
Wade Deacon has a good reputation. My best friend's children have gone to OBA in Runcorn and had a great experience.