The Heath SchoolSandymoor Ormiston Academy
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Runcorn.
Summary of the comparison
The Heath School and Sandymoor Ormiston Academy are secondary schools in Runcorn.
The Heath School scores 54 out of 100 (grade D, below average) and Sandymoor Ormiston Academy scores 52 out of 100 (grade D, below average). The Heath School is ahead on our composite score.
The Heath School was judged the expected standard and Sandymoor Ormiston Academy was judged Good.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 41.0 for The Heath School and 43.2 for Sandymoor Ormiston Academy.
GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at The Heath School (47.6 in 2021-22, 41.0 in 2025-26) and has fallen at Sandymoor Ormiston Academy (46.8 in 2021-22, 43.2 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | RuncornThe Heath School | RuncornSandymoor Ormiston Academy | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | D54/100Stronger figure | D52/100 | |
| Local ranking | 2nd of 8 in Halton Stronger figure | 3rd of 8 in Halton | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Academy converter | Free schools | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-16 | 11-18 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,174 | 631 | |
| Capacity | 1,200 | 630 | |
| Location | Runcorn, WA7 4SY | Runcorn, WA7 1QU | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 41.0 | 43.2 Stronger figure | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 32.6% | 36.9% Stronger figure | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 55.7% | 56.6% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 230 | 122 | |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,185 | 599 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 34.6% | 27.9% | |
| English as an additional language | 2.4% | 4.2% | |
| SEN support | 17.6% | 13.0% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 2.4% | 4.2% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 9.0% Stronger figure | 9.1% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 25.9% Stronger figure | 25.9% | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
The Heath School
Sandymoor Ormiston Academy
Full profiles: The Heath School · Sandymoor Ormiston Academy