Endon High School Review 2026: A small 11 to 16 comprehensive with a strong personal development profile

There is a clear sense of structure here, both in the timetable and in the way students are expected to carry themselves. The school day runs on three 100-minute lessons, with an explicit focus on being ready, respectful and responsible, and an after-school programme (Endzone) built into the rhythm of the week.

Endon High School serves a mixed 11 to 16 intake and describes itself as a relatively small comprehensive on the outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent, positioned between the Potteries and Leek. It is part of Shaw Education Trust, and Staffordshire’s admissions documentation sets a published admission number of 140 for Year 7 entry.

The most recent graded inspection (October 2023) judged the school Good overall, with Personal development graded Outstanding. Safeguarding was found to be effective.

The culture is defined in plain language rather than slogans. Curiosity, determination and kindness are positioned as day-to-day expectations, linked to a consistent message that students can push beyond their current best.

The tone is inclusive and purposeful. Official evaluation describes a calm and orderly learning environment, with respectful relationships between students and staff. It also flags that a small minority do not always meet behaviour expectations during social times, which is useful context for families who prioritise consistent corridor and lunchtime conduct.

Pastoral leadership is not framed as separate from academic life. Students are expected to take responsibility through roles such as mentors, reading buddies and mental health ambassadors, and personal development is presented as a core thread rather than an add-on.

Endon’s GCSE outcomes sit in the mid-range nationally, with some indicators stronger than others. Ranked 1,723rd in England and 8th in Stoke-on-Trent for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance aligns with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

Attainment 8 is 48.1, and Progress 8 is -0.14, suggesting progress is slightly below the national midpoint once prior attainment is considered. The average EBacc APS is 4.4, above the England average of 4.08, while 14.8% achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc subjects, which is a more selective measure and typically reflects the strength of outcomes among students entered for the full suite.

For parents, the practical implication is that the school is not relying on headline measures alone. The profile suggests solid attainment with room to improve consistency in progress, and a curriculum offer that is designed to suit a broad ability range rather than a narrow academic cohort.

Curriculum ambition is a stated priority, and the 2023 inspection supports that picture. The curriculum is described as broad, carefully sequenced, and designed so that students build knowledge over time. Teachers’ subject expertise is highlighted, and assessment is framed as a tool to identify what students know and can do.

A distinctive operational feature is the routine use of technology to support learning. Inspection evidence notes that technology is embedded effectively and used confidently by students and staff, and the school prospectus positions iPads and the Thrive digital strategy as a whole-school approach rather than an optional extra.

The improvement areas are also clear and specific. The 2023 inspection identifies that some lessons are not always adapted well enough to meet individual needs, meaning work can be too hard or too easy in places. Families with children who need particularly responsive teaching, either for stretch or for scaffolding, should ask how this is being addressed in practice within subjects their child will study.

Where Students Go Next

As an 11 to 16 school, the key transition is post-16. The school’s careers programme is structured across year groups and focuses on making sure every student has a defined next step after Year 11. It explicitly references local post-16 options including A-levels, BTEC and T Levels, alongside apprenticeships, and it describes a programme that includes careers interviews in Year 11, talks from local providers, a mock interview evening in Year 10, and work experience in Year 10.

The implication for families is that post-16 planning is treated as part of the core curriculum rather than something left to the final term. If your child is uncertain about pathways, or is likely to need help comparing college routes with apprenticeships, this sort of staged programme can reduce last-minute decision pressure.

Demand is real and measurable. The latest available application data shows 255 applications for 137 offers for the relevant entry route, with the school marked as oversubscribed. In other words, there were around 1.86 applications per offer, and the ratio of first preferences to first preference offers is 1.08, which points to a large group of families naming the school as a genuine first choice rather than a lower-ranked preference.

Admissions are coordinated through Staffordshire, with the county’s published process confirming that the application window for September 2026 entry opened on 01 September 2025, closed on 31 October 2025, and outcomes were issued on 02 March 2026. For families planning ahead, that timing is a strong guide to the annual pattern.

On oversubscription, Staffordshire’s arrangements for Endon include a defined catchment area priority, plus priority for siblings, and a set of named contributory primary schools (including Endon Hall Primary, St Anne’s CE(VC) Primary, St Luke’s Academy and Greenways Primary Academy). This is the kind of detail that can materially affect chances, so families should read the criteria carefully and use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check how their home address relates to catchment and travel practicality.

Open events are part of the usual rhythm. For the September 2026 intake cycle, the school advertised an Open Evening on Wednesday 01 October 2025, and the local authority published the same date in its countywide list. If you are applying in a future year, treat early October as the typical window and check the school’s current announcements.

Personal development is the standout headline. The 2023 inspection grade of Outstanding in this area is backed by specifics such as learning for life content (including healthy relationships, consent, safety, and financial education) and an expectation that students contribute through leadership and peer roles.

Support for students with SEND is described as very effective, with students following the same broad curriculum as peers, and the school presenting itself as fully accessible for pupils with physical disabilities. The published SEND information names the SENCO and Assistant SENCO, which is a useful signal that families can identify the right staff early in the process.

Safeguarding is clearly stated as effective in the most recent report.

The enrichment offer is practical and specific, with Endzone framed as a daily after-school programme rather than an occasional add-on. The school’s published list includes clubs such as Film Club, Engineering, School Radio, Lego, Retro Video Games, Wheelchair Basketball, Drama, Dance, and Book Club.

Trips and subject experiences are also clearly signposted. The Modern Foreign Languages enrichment content references an annual four-day trip to Germany for Year 8 and a Black Forest visit opportunity for Year 10 students, which is the kind of concrete experience parents can plan around.

The practical implication is that extracurricular life is likely to suit students who benefit from structured variety after lessons, whether that is for confidence-building, friendship groups, or simply having a reason to stay engaged through the week.

The core day runs from an 08.40 start to a 15.10 finish, with breakfast club available from 08.00 and Endzone activities running after school. The site opens to pupils from 08.20.

Behaviour systems are also time-defined. Reflect and Reset can extend the day to 16.10 depending on the sanction length, which is operationally important for working families and for students who commute.

Given the school’s position in a village setting between Stoke-on-Trent and Leek, families should think early about travel time, especially if relying on public transport. The local authority timetable also encourages parents to plan how a child will get to school when making preferences.

• Oversubscription reality. With 255 applications and 137 offers in the latest available admissions dataset, competition is meaningful. Families should treat the published oversubscription criteria, catchment priority, and named feeder primaries as decision-critical.

• No sixth form. Post-16 progression is not an on-site continuation, so planning for college, sixth forms, or apprenticeships becomes part of the Year 11 experience. The careers programme is designed to support this, but it still means a second major transition at 16.

• Consistency outside lessons. The most recent inspection highlights that behaviour is calm in classrooms, while a small minority do not always meet expectations during social times. Ask how supervision, routines, and consequences work at break and lunch.

• A digital learning baseline. Technology use is embedded in teaching and is positioned as part of daily learning expectations. This can suit many learners, but families should check what support exists for students who struggle with organisation or screen-based workflows.

Endon High School reads as a well-organised, inclusive 11 to 16 comprehensive that places unusual weight on personal development, backed by an Outstanding grade in that area. Academic outcomes sit around the mid-range nationally, with a curriculum and teaching model that aims to serve a broad intake while improving consistency in adaptive teaching.

Who it suits: families who want a structured school day, clear behavioural expectations, a defined enrichment programme after school, and a strong careers pathway for post-16 decisions. The main constraint is admission competition, particularly for families outside priority criteria.