School Chooser

Dixons Croxteth Academy

Secondary · ages 11-18MixedAcademy436 pupilsSixth formLiverpool
School Chooser Score
15
Below
similar schools
Likely range 10 to 22, so it could be “well below”
Out of 100. Better than 54% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedAs expected teachingOfsted report card, January 2026
Strong pass in English and maths16%England 46%
Attendance86.0%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families58%Far more than most schools
Parents would recommend74%27 Parent View responses
Places164 spare436 pupils, 600 places

Dixons Croxteth Academy is a sponsored academy in Liverpool for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. It has 436 pupils and room for 600. About 58 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 15 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 54% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in January 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Carr Lane East, Croxteth, Liverpool, L11 4SG0151 332 6780dixonscr.comMr Iain Duggan headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 6 January 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
As expected
Achievement
Needs attention
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
As expected
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
As expected
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
Strong
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
14 January 2020Serious Weaknesses S5 ReinspectionInadequate

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

51 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score31.6
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths16%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths31%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11-0.94In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 29.029.020182019: 23.123.120192022: 30.730.720222023: 21.621.620232024: 27.927.920242025: 31.631.62025
Since 2018: +2.6Improving overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023†2022†2019†2018†LiverpoolEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11517460764749
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 831.627.921.630.723.129.043.146.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8-0.94-1.80-1.43-1.50-0.98
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths16%15%7%21%4%8%39%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths31%31%15%36%17%31%59%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score2.972.351.922.721.802.573.744.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry63%22%37%50%0%51%38%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged30.323.319.726.617.226.9
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged33.738.024.341.634.633.4
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers17.912.215.39.612.5
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers45.135.459.943.7

† These results are for The De La Salle Academy, the school this one replaced in November 2022. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Subjects

Results came out for 9 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Subjects that did worse than the England average: Religious Studies (13% here, 60% across England), History (7% here, 52% across England), English Language (16% here, 54% across England), Geography (13% here, 51% across England).

What is taught here
LanguagesSpanish32

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Mathematics51 entries · 26th of 29 in Liverpool
26%England 53%
English Language51 entries · 29th of 29 in Liverpool
16%England 54%
Combined Science50 entries · 18th of 28 in Liverpool
24%England 36%
English Literature48 entries · 27th of 29 in Liverpool
29%England 58%
Religious Studies45 entries · 18th of 18 in Liverpool
13%England 60%
Spanish32 entries · 20th of 22 in Liverpool
19%England 54%
History30 entries · 28th of 28 in Liverpool
7%England 52%
Geography15 entries
13%England 51%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Mathematics514%26%39%53%3,089 of 3,211
English Language510%16%29%54%3,198 of 3,210
Combined Science506%24%46%36%2,327 of 3,084
English Literature480%29%40%58%3,088 of 3,202
Religious Studies454%13%16%60%1,823 of 1,825
Spanish3216%19%25%54%1,858 of 1,941
History303%7%27%52%3,121 of 3,126
Geography157%13%47%51%
Art and Design838%100%100%58%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. Every gap at this school is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At GCSE, 2025

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
30.333.7
Gap 3.4England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
16%15%
Gap 1 ptsEngland 22 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Plenty of spare places399 pupils for 750 places, 2024/25
53% full

351 places were empty (47% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Liverpool council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

What parents say

Would recommend the school74%England 77%
My child is happy here70%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe74%
Positive overall57%
My child is happy at this school
70%England 75%
My child feels safe at this school
74%England 79%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
74%England 71%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
15% yesEngland 26%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
50%England 48%
My child gets the right support to learn well
63%England 71%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
22% yesEngland 31%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
33%England 58%
The school communicates well with me
63%England 71%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
59%England 58%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
70%England 67%
I would recommend this school
74%England 77%
Overall view of the school is positive
57%England 67%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 27 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for secondary schools with enough answers to publish.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll436Census January 2026
Places60073% full
Pupils from low-income families58%58% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English16%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support28%121 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%9 pupils with a plan
Average class size24.618 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils17%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)58%£281,600 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls362 / 74
White British pupils62%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (56), emotional and mental health (40), Specific learning difficulty (18), Physical disability (12), language and communications needs (2), Hearing impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census2026202520242023
Pupils on roll436405390344
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals58%53%57%56%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language16%14%17%15%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support23%31%23%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%2%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 86.0% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance86.0%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school39.7%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils165.92024/25, 7 permanent exclusions
Missed without permission11.1%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/22†2020/21†2018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence14.0%18.8%23.0%16.6%10.9%9.5%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.9%4.6%8.4%5.7%4.5%5.2%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence11.1%14.2%14.6%10.9%6.4%4.3%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence39.7%50.7%62.7%44.2%37.0%32.1%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate165.9173.1126.5
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions7122

† These attendance figures are for The De La Salle Academy, the school this one replaced in November 2022. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers28.6full-time equivalent, 29 people
Pupils per teacher15.2Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants1.9full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£53,819
Teachers who left in the year7%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher7.42024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£9,714England £7,965. Total £4.0m
Income per pupil£10,372England £8,423. Total £4.2m
Spent on teachers per pupil£5,205England £4,444
Money in reserve6%Not much put by: £255k, £623 per pupil. England 10%
Money in against money out+£269kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£9,714spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m39912 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate87 per 1,000 peopleabout the England average
Typical house price£176,500Liverpool
Nearest bus stop140 mCarr Lane East, 17 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St John Bosco Arts CollegeRoman Catholic540 m1,086Report card 202613Compare
Holly Lodge Girls' CollegeCouncil1.4 miles1,016No overall grade 202458Compare
St Edward's CollegeAcademy1.6 miles1,150No overall grade 202461Compare
West Derby SchoolAcademy1.7 miles1,011Good 202331Compare
Dixons Fazakerley AcademyAcademy1.8 miles737Requires improvement 20243Compare
Cardinal Heenan Catholic High SchoolRoman Catholic1.8 miles1,338Report card 202628Compare
Broughton Hall Catholic High SchoolRoman Catholic1.8 miles1,175Good 202215Compare
Kirkby High SchoolAcademy1.9 miles1,042Good 20223Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Dixons Croxteth Academy with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats54%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 15 is about the same as the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 14 · highest 51100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Dixons Croxteth Academy, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Hillside High SchoolAcademy2.8 miles785Good 202323Compare
Ridgeway High SchoolFoundation8.3 miles858Good 202426Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 15 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 15% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 10 to 22. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years20%well below
-0.31
2025 and 2024 results; 51 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%below
-0.11
Ofsted report card, 0.7 years old
Progress pupils make20%well below
-0.30
DfE progress measure; 51 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.32
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.23
2024/25; 448 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.06
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 51 pupils
What pupils do next0%no data
What parents say5%in line
0.00
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 27 responses

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Dixons Croxteth Academy a good school?

The figures are weak. Dixons Croxteth Academy scores 15 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 54% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 10 to 22, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

What is Dixons Croxteth Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 6 January 2026 it rated teaching as as expected, achievement as needs attention, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as strong.

How good are Dixons Croxteth Academy's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 16% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 31.6, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How many pupils does Dixons Croxteth Academy have?

436 pupils aged 11 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 600 places, so it is 73% full.

Is Dixons Croxteth Academy oversubscribed?

Probably not. 351 places were empty in 2024/25 (47% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Dixons Croxteth Academy?

Pupils were in school 86.0% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 40% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about Dixons Croxteth Academy?

74% of the 27 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 70% say their child is happy there. Across England, 77% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at Dixons Croxteth Academy?

The average class had 24.6 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 17% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Dixons Croxteth Academy have a sixth form?

Yes.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Carr Lane East, Croxteth, Liverpool, L11 4SG
Telephone
0151 332 6780
Website
www.dixonscr.com
Headteacher
Mr Iain Duggan
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Secondary school, ages 11-18, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Dixons Academies Trust (21 schools)
Local authority
Liverpool
Ward
West Derby Muirhead
Constituency
Liverpool Walton
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 November 2022 (fresh start)
URN
149530 · LAESTAB 3414014 · UKPRN 10091682
Formerly
The De La Salle Academy

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from