Cannock Chase High School Review 2026: A calm, values-led 11 to 18 with an established sixth form

Order and routine are central to daily life at Cannock Chase High School. The most recent inspection describes a calm, well-ordered environment, where pupils feel supported and safe, and where bullying is reported to be rare and dealt with swiftly when it occurs.

Leadership is long-established. Mr Iain Turnbull is the named headteacher on the school website and official government records; an earlier inspection record notes his appointment in April 2015. That longevity matters for families who value stability, consistent expectations, and a clear sense of direction.

Academically, the picture is mixed across phases. GCSE outcomes sit below England average by the FindMySchool ranking, while post-16 outcomes land closer to the England middle tier. For families weighing the sixth form, that creates a practical question: does your child need a high-attaining A-level environment, or a supportive, structured sixth form that prioritises steady progress and next-step planning?

The school’s culture is framed around five values, Integrity, Teamwork, Responsibility, Excellence, and Resilience. These are presented as day-to-day expectations rather than aspirational slogans, and they recur across the school’s public information. The implication for pupils is straightforward: behaviour standards are explicit, and the language of praise, correction, and routines is consistent across year groups.

A second defining feature is organisation. The school day is clearly structured, with an 8.45am tutor start, five taught periods, and a tutor slot at the end of the day Monday to Thursday. For many pupils, that predictable rhythm reduces stress and helps them manage homework, assessments, and extracurricular commitments.

There is also evidence of broad participation beyond lessons. The most recent inspection report notes that many pupils get involved in extracurricular opportunities, and it gives a specific example of large involvement in a school production, with pupils describing the impact on confidence and communication. That matters because culture is shaped as much by what pupils do together after lessons as by what happens in classrooms.

GCSE outcomes (Key Stage 4)

On the FindMySchool GCSE ranking (based on official performance data), Cannock Chase High School is ranked 3,098th in England and 3rd in the Cannock area for GCSE outcomes. This places it below England average overall (in the lower tier nationally).

The most recent GCSE attainment indicators available here show:

• Attainment 8 score: 43.3

• EBacc average point score: 3.42, compared with the England average of 4.08

• Progress 8 score: -0.39, which indicates pupils make less progress than similar pupils nationally (where 0 is average).

This combination usually points to a school where outcomes are not uniformly strong across subjects, and where improvement priorities tend to focus on consistency of teaching and curriculum impact across departments, rather than on a single headline weakness.

A-level outcomes (Key Stage 5)

On the FindMySchool A-level ranking (based on official performance data), the sixth form is ranked 1,467th in England and 2nd in the Cannock area. That sits in line with the middle 35% of sixth forms in England (25th to 60th percentile), which is a more typical national position than the GCSE picture.

The available A-level grade distribution shows:

• A* grades: 2.82%

• A grades: 16.9%

• A* to B: 45.07%, compared with the England average of 47.2%

For families, the practical implication is that the sixth form appears to offer a broadly mainstream outcomes profile. It may suit students who want a local post-16 route with structured support, and who plan realistically for a range of university, further education, and employment destinations.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to review GCSE and A-level outcomes side by side, and to see how the sixth form’s position differs from the main school’s GCSE profile.

The most recent inspection describes an ambitious curriculum, broad and balanced in Key Stage 3, with a wide range of GCSE and vocational options at Key Stage 4. It also flags a specific curriculum challenge: EBacc participation is low because relatively few pupils study a modern foreign language, and the school has taken steps to increase staffing in that area.

That is a meaningful detail for families. For a pupil who is keen on languages, the question is not whether languages exist, but whether uptake, timetabling, and peer-group momentum make languages feel like a mainstream choice. The staffing response suggests leadership recognises the issue and is acting on it.

Option design appears to encourage breadth while keeping core expectations intact. A recent options booklet sets out that pupils study the core curriculum alongside choices, and it explicitly references Geography, History, French, and Computer Science as EBacc-linked options. The implication is that pupils who want a more academic pathway can build it, but they may need earlier planning and confident guidance to keep that breadth through GCSE.

At sixth form, published subject entry requirements show that many A-level routes have clear GCSE grade expectations, often around grade 6 in the subject area for the more demanding courses, alongside baseline GCSE requirements for entry. That clarity tends to help students self-select sensibly, and it reduces last-minute course changes after enrolment.

The school’s published destinations-style information, alongside the official destination indicators available here, points to a mixed set of post-18 and post-16 pathways.

For the 2023/24 leavers cohort covered by the available destination data:

• 50% progressed to university

• 26% went into employment

• 5% went into further education

• 0% went into apprenticeships

The spread suggests that outcomes are not narrowly focused on one route. For families, the implication is that careers guidance and post-16 planning need to work well for a wide range of aspirations, including those who want employment routes alongside university.

A separate sixth form message is practical rather than rhetorical: applications for September 2026 entry have a published deadline of Monday 12 January 2026. Students considering a move from another provider should treat that deadline seriously, and aim to discuss subject suitability early, especially where GCSE grade thresholds are tight.

Year 7 entry

Admissions are coordinated by Staffordshire. The school is described as oversubscribed in the most recent admissions-demand indicators available here, with 373 applications and 210 offers, which equates to about 1.78 applications per place. This points to meaningful competition, even without a published distance cutoff.

Staffordshire’s published secondary admissions guidance for the 2026 cycle states that applications closed on 31 October 2025, with offers communicated on 02 March 2026 (reflecting the national offer timing adjusted for the calendar).

For oversubscription, the local authority’s school-specific admissions arrangements indicate that catchment-area residence is normally prioritised, with consideration extending beyond catchment only once catchment demand is met and places remain. If you are outside catchment, it is worth treating this as a high-bar preference rather than a dependable option.

Families using distance as part of their strategy should use the FindMySchool Map Search tool to check the practical realities of travel time and daily logistics, even when distance cutoffs are not published. In practice, transport and routine often matter as much as the theoretical admissions criteria.

Sixth form entry (Year 12)

The sixth form welcomes both internal and external applicants, with applications routed directly through the school. Entry is subject to course suitability, and published subject requirements show that many A-level options require specific GCSE grades. For September 2026 start, the stated application deadline is Monday 12 January 2026.

Open events are used as a structured part of recruitment. A Sixth Form Open Evening is listed for 26 November 2025, which signals a typical late-autumn decision window for Year 11 students.

The evidence points to a school that leans hard on relationships and routines. The most recent inspection describes staff who know pupils well, a culture where pupils feel well supported, and a school environment that is calm and orderly.

Safeguarding and inclusion sit visibly within senior leadership responsibilities, with a deputy head role explicitly linked to inclusion, special educational needs, safeguarding, and personal development. For families, the implication is that pastoral systems are not a bolt-on. They are positioned as a leadership priority, which usually improves consistency of response when issues arise.

The strongest available detail is specific rather than generic. The school’s extracurricular schedule includes named activities such as Robotics Club, Debating and Public Speaking Club, Carnegie Reading Group, Sign Language Club, Minecraft, and a Library Homework Club, alongside sport and arts activities. This breadth matters because it gives different types of pupils legitimate ways to belong, whether their confidence comes from performance, technical build-and-make projects, or quieter literacy-based groups.

Drama and performing arts appear to be a visible strand. The inspection report records substantial pupil involvement in a production of We Will Rock You, and links participation to improved self-belief and communication. Looking forward, the school also advertises a major production, Legally Blonde Jr, scheduled across 28 to 30 January 2026, which indicates continuing investment in whole-school performance opportunities.

Music is also positioned as part of a wider creative and design grouping, including Dance, Drama, and related subjects, which implies coordination across the arts rather than isolated departments. For students considering sixth form, these wider communities can be important, because enrichment and leadership roles often sit within them.

The published timings show an 8.45am start for tutor time, with lessons running through to 2.50pm, followed by an end-of-day tutor session until 3.20pm Monday to Thursday. Fridays finish at 2.50pm with no afternoon tutor. The school also lists additional “twilight” sessions for Years 11 to 13, running 3.20pm to 4.20pm Monday to Thursday, which may affect travel planning for older students.

The site has two entrances, one associated with the lower school and one with the upper school, which can help with drop-off logistics and walking routes for older students. For rail travel, Hednesford and Cannock are the most relevant local stations for this part of Staffordshire, with services in the West Midlands network.

• GCSE outcomes are the weaker phase. The FindMySchool ranking places the school below England average for GCSE outcomes, and the Progress 8 score of -0.39 indicates lower progress than similar pupils nationally. Families should ask how improvement priorities are being delivered at department level, not just what the headline plan is.

• EBacc breadth may require deliberate planning. EBacc participation is described as low, driven by limited uptake of a modern foreign language. If you want a language pathway to remain open through GCSE, confirm how languages are staffed and timetabled, and what guidance is given at options time.

• Admissions demand is real, even without a published distance cutoff. With 373 applications for 210 offers in the latest available demand indicators, it is sensible to include realistic alternatives in your preferences list and to plan transport accordingly.

• Sixth form suitability depends on subject fit. A-level entry requirements vary by subject and can be demanding in the sciences and other courses. Students with borderline GCSE grades should have a clear discussion about course choice and support early in the process.

Cannock Chase High School offers a structured, values-led secondary education with an established sixth form and a clearly organised school day. The strongest evidence points to a calm culture, strong routines, and pupils who feel supported. The main trade-off is the GCSE outcomes profile, which sits below England average on the FindMySchool ranking, and should prompt careful questioning about consistency of teaching and curriculum impact. Best suited to families who want clear expectations, broad extracurricular routes into belonging, and a practical local sixth form option, and who will engage actively with subject choices and academic support.