Saints Peter and Paul Catholic High School Review 2026: Phone-free Catholic secondary in Widnes

At drop-off on Highfield Road in Widnes, the tone is set by a clear rule: this is a mobile phone free school. For many families, that single detail matters. It signals a preference for attention, routines, and calmer social dynamics during the day.

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic High School is a state secondary school for boys and girls aged 11 to 16 in Widnes, Cheshire. It is a Catholic voluntary aided school with a published capacity of 1677. The most recent Ofsted inspection rated the school Good. There is no sixth form, so students move on to post-16 providers at the end of Year 11.

The school’s Catholic identity is not a label on the sign. It shows up in the language it uses about daily life: compassion, respect and aspiration are framed as habits, not posters. The Salesian influence is part of that picture too, shaped by the tradition associated with St John Bosco, and it gives the school a straightforward emphasis on community and practical care.

Pastoral structures are easy to spot in the vocabulary: students are placed in formation groups, with a formation tutor as a familiar anchor point. Transition into Year 7 is treated as a project in its own right, with a stated focus on making students feel known quickly rather than leaving them to work it out socially.

There is also a distinctive blend of inclusion and structure. Alongside the mainstream timetable sits specialist support, including The Oratory, a small teaching unit on site designed for Key Stage 3 and 4 students with an autistic spectrum condition diagnosis, with features such as a sensory zone, kitchen and a separate outdoor area. For families weighing fit, that is useful context: the school is built to handle a wide range of needs, but it also expects students to meet clear routines once the day begins.

GCSE results

Start with the overall context. Ranked 3175th in England and 3rd in Widnes for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits below England average, in line with the lower 40% of schools in England. That ranking does not define an individual child’s outcome, but it does set expectations about the typical academic profile and the level of external support some students may need.

The underlying measures reinforce that picture. The Attainment 8 score is 39.9 and Progress 8 is -0.61, which indicates students, on average, make less progress than pupils with similar starting points nationally. EBacc outcomes are also a weak point in the available data: 5.7% achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc, and the average EBacc APS is 3.26 compared with an England average of 4.08.

If you are comparing options locally, this is where FindMySchool’s comparison view earns its keep: lining up Progress 8, Attainment 8 and EBacc measures side by side gives a clearer sense of whether the academic profile matches your child, rather than relying on hearsay.

The strongest evidence points to a curriculum that is planned deliberately, with subject leaders laying out the knowledge students are expected to learn and sequencing it across lessons. Teachers are expected to spot gaps and address them before moving on, which is a sensible approach in a school that serves a broad range of starting points.

Reading is treated as a whole-school priority rather than only an English department concern. The Wilson Centre is part of the school’s literacy strategy: it is partnered with Halton Borough Library, and Year 7 and Curriculum 4 students have a timetabled session there each fortnight, built around reading and reading-related activities. It is a practical model for supporting reading stamina and confidence, especially for students who arrive less fluent than they need to be for a secondary curriculum.

Homework systems are also deliberately structured. The school sets out a clear routine through ClassCharts and runs homework club provision after school, using the Wilson Centre for younger years and a separate base for older students. For families, that matters less as a headline and more as a safety net: if home circumstances make independent study difficult, there is an on-site alternative.

With no sixth form, the key transition is at 16. Students are expected to move into further education, sixth form colleges, apprenticeships or training, and careers guidance is framed as a practical entitlement rather than an optional extra. The message is that next steps should be chosen deliberately, with advice from staff and external visitors, not simply defaulted.

Local partnerships help here. The school’s enrichment links include Cronton Sixth Form College in the context of science and maths competition, and students are also visibly encouraged towards wider pathways through leadership programmes and structured personal development.

For parents, the main implication is simple: you are choosing an 11 to 16 school with a planned exit. A good Year 9 options process and strong guidance through Year 11 matter more than they might in a school where most students roll straight into Year 12 on the same site.

Routes and criteria

Admissions are coordinated through Halton, and the school also requires a Supplementary Information Form to support faith-based consideration. Saints Peter and Paul is a Catholic school with defined parish and primary-school links in its criteria, so families who want that route should treat paperwork as part of the application, not an afterthought.

If the school is oversubscribed, the published priorities include looked-after and previously looked-after children, then Catholic children resident in specific parishes (including St Wilfrid, Holy Family, Cronton and St Ambrose, Speke), followed by other Catholic children. Priority also extends to children attending named Catholic partner primary schools connected to those parishes, with further categories for other Christian communities, other faiths, and then other children. Sibling links and exceptional social, medical or pastoral need can affect priority within categories when evidenced appropriately.

Timeline and practicalities

Demand is high in the available admissions data: 611 applications for 257 offers, which is about 2.38 applications per place. That level of competition changes how families should approach the process. You cannot assume a place because it is your nearest Catholic secondary, and you should plan sensibly for alternatives alongside it.

The school’s published admission number is 280 for Year 7, which gives a sense of scale. Transition support is also prominent, with a programme designed to familiarise Year 6 pupils with routines and pastoral structures before September entry.

A school can be Catholic on paper and still feel impersonal day to day. Here, the stated emphasis is on accompaniment: chaplaincy is presented as both spiritual and pastoral, with a named school chaplain (Mr Lorne) positioned as a support for students regardless of faith background. Mission Week and a patronal celebration tied to Saints Peter and Paul reinforce that identity without requiring families to be uniformly observant.

Safeguarding is described as effective and treated as an everyday culture rather than a policy folder. Students are expected to speak up early, and the school promotes a confidential reporting route (the Sharp System) for concerns such as bullying and worries beyond school.

Anti-bullying messaging is clear and values-led: respect is the stated baseline, and the school positions bullying as incompatible with its community expectations. For families, the practical question is how quickly issues are acted on and how well students are listened to. The evidence available points to leadership that expects staff to respond quickly and students to trust that response.

Clubs & enrichment

There is plenty here beyond lessons, but the more telling detail is what students name when asked what they value. Examples include drama productions, a Pride in Who You Are group, and a sustainable gardening club, alongside a general message that there should be something for everyone. That range matters for a mixed-ability intake: not every student will be motivated by the same thing, and the school seems to accept that.

The enrichment programme also has a more academic edge than many families might expect from the headline results. The school participates in The Brilliant Club, with selected students completing university-style academic work under doctoral tutors, and it is involved in Mathematical Education on Merseyside challenges.

Sport, leadership and wider experiences

Sport is connected to leadership rather than only teamsheets. The Youth Sport Trust School Games Leadership Pathway is part of the offer, and the list of partners includes the LFC Foundation. For students who gain confidence through responsibility, these structured roles can be as valuable as fixtures.

Music and performance also appear in specific form: the school’s samba band has taken part in the UK Schools Music Festival. Add in Duke of Edinburgh as a visible strand of the wider programme, and you get a picture of a school that uses enrichment to build identity and belonging, not just to fill lunch breaks.

The school day

The school day runs from 8:35am to 2:50pm. There is no sixth form, so the oldest students are in Year 11, and the rhythm of the year will be shaped by GCSE preparation and transition planning for post-16.

Families should also factor in the school’s mobile phone free rule. For some children it is a relief; for others it requires a reset of habits and expectations, especially around messaging during the day.

Transport & parking

Saints Peter and Paul sits in Widnes, and most families will be thinking in terms of local bus routes, a short drive, or a rail link into the town before a final hop. If you are planning a longer commute, FindMySchool’s map tools are a quick way to sense-check travel time at peak school-run hours, not just in ideal conditions.

As with any large secondary, drop-off and pick-up are concentrated into a short window, so build in slack time if you need to be punctual for work or for siblings at other schools.

Admissions competition: With 611 applications for 257 offers (about 2.38 applications per place), entry is the main hurdle. If you are set on this option, you need a strong Plan B as well as a carefully completed Plan A.

Faith criteria and paperwork: This is a Catholic school with parish-linked priorities and a Supplementary Information Form that matters for faith-based consideration. Families who are unsure where they sit against the criteria should read the detail closely and ask questions early.

Academic profile: Progress 8 is -0.61 and the school’s GCSE ranking sits in the lower 40% of schools in England. For some students, that will be a signal to prioritise strong routines, homework support, and close communication rather than assuming the system will carry them.

Phone-free expectations: A mobile phone free day reduces one common pressure point, but it also asks students to adapt quickly. If your child relies heavily on their phone for social confidence, it is worth thinking about how they handle that transition.

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic High School is a large, clearly structured 11 to 16 Catholic school with a deliberate focus on pastoral systems, inclusion, and a phone-free day. Its enrichment offer has real substance, from drama and gardening clubs to academic partnerships and leadership pathways, and it treats transition points seriously.

Best suited to families who want a Catholic ethos grounded in chaplaincy and parish links, who value firm routines, and who are realistic about academic outcomes while willing to use the school’s support structures. Competition for places is the limiting factor, so shortlisting it should come with alternatives and a clear-eyed plan.