Birkdale High School
Academy converter · 936 pupils
84% stayed in education · Attainment 8 51.9
Voluntary aided school
Maricourt Catholic High School
- Pupils on roll
- 1,092of 1,270 places
- Free school meals
- 22.7%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 199
- Ofsted
- Report card, 2 June 2026Read the Ofsted report
Curriculum and teaching Expected standardAchievement Expected standardAttendance and behaviour Expected standardPersonal development and wellbeing Strong standardInclusion Expected standardLeadership and governance Expected standardPost-16 provision Expected standardSafeguarding Met
What the data says
Of the 210 pupils who finished Year 11 at Maricourt Catholic High School in 2023, 32% stayed on in Maricourt Catholic High School’s own sixth form (Sefton average 25%), 46% went to a further education college and 6% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 104 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 48% went to university (Sefton 27%, England 37%), and 13% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Religious Studies is unusually popular at GCSE: 90% of the year group took it, against 31% of pupils across England.
A level grades average C-, well below the England average of B-; 0% of students achieved AAB or better including two facilitating subjects (England 18%). The largest A level subjects are Psychology, English Literature and Mathematics.
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 | 210 | 3,063 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 91% | 89% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 84% | 83% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 32% | 25% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 4% | 2% | 13% |
| — further education college | 46% | 53% | 37% |
| — other education | 2% | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 6% | 3% | 3% |
| Employment | 1% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 6% | 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 | 104 | 2,579 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 84% | 75% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 48% | 27% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 13% | 12% | 19% |
| Further education | 1% | 7% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 8% | 8% | 7% |
| Employment | 23% | 32% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 12% | 19% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | This school | Sefton | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 44.5 | 42.9 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 44% | 40% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 65% | 60% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 11% | 38% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.57 | 3.70 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 24% | 30% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 29.7 | 31.3 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 49.2 | 47.8 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 4% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 199 | 100% | 89% | 21% | 20% | 69% |
| Mathematics | 199 | 100% | 88% | 15% | 22% | 67% |
| English Literature | 199 | 100% | 86% | 28% | 21% | 73% |
| Religious Studies | 179 | 90% | 31% | 17% | 32% | 56% |
| Combined Science | 169 | 85% | 65% | 8% | 9% | 47% |
| Geography | 63 | 32% | 41% | 14% | 25% | 56% |
| History | 57 | 29% | 41% | 33% | 26% | 61% |
| Spanish | 50 | 25% | 19% | 22% | 27% | 74% |
| Fine Art | 39 | 20% | 9% | 21% | 28% | 90% |
| Biology | 30 | 15% | 23% | 37% | 45% | 87% |
| Chemistry | 30 | 15% | 23% | 43% | 47% | 83% |
| Physics | 30 | 15% | 23% | 47% | 46% | 87% |
| Physical Education | 21 | 11% | 11% | 43% | 24% | 90% |
| Computer Science | 21 | 11% | 13% | 24% | 30% | 67% |
| Dance | 17 | 9% | 1% | 0% | 27% | 24% |
| Design and Technology | 14 | 7% | 11% | 0% | 23% | 57% |
| Music | 7 | 4% | 5% | 14% | 33% | 86% |
| Polish | 1 | 1% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| Portuguese | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 50% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Business Management | 73 | 100% | — |
| Building / Construction Operations (General / Combined) | 41 | 79% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 38 | 73% | — |
| Health Studies | 23 | 44% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 22 | 42% | — |
| Sports Coaching | 14 | 27% | — |
| Speech and Drama | 13 | 25% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | This school | Sefton | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 128 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 52 | 897 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C- | C | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 27.88 | 29.93 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C | C | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 0% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 19 | 37% | 23% |
| English Literature | 16 | 31% | 11% |
| Mathematics | 11 | 21% | 31% |
| Sociology | 10 | 19% | 13% |
| History | 9 | 17% | 13% |
| Geography | 9 | 17% | 10% |
| Economics | 8 | 15% | 13% |
| Spanish | — | — | 2% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
| Biology | — | — | 20% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
| Physics | — | — | 12% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Business | VRQ Level 3 | 30 | 58% | — |
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 23 | 44% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma at Level 3 | 10 | 19% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 6 | 12% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Geography | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Geography | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Nutrition / Diet | VRQ 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.