Bury College

About Bury College

Bury College, a state-funded 16-99 mixed secondary in Bury, North West, presents a distinctive picture when compared against its local authority averages. The school’s Progress 8 score is not available in the data, which makes direct headline comparison tricky, but its Attainment 8 score of 20.3 sits well below the typical LA benchmark for this phase. For context, the LA average Progress 8 for similar schools is -0.02, a figure that suggests most local secondaries are performing roughly in line with national expectations. Bury College’s EBacc average point score of 2.14 and its basics pass rates — 33.3% at grade 4 or above and just 16.7% at grade 5 or above — are notably lower than what you’d expect from a typical Bury secondary. The school also has a very small capacity of just 45 pupils, which is unusual for a state secondary and likely shapes its intimate, focused environment. With no EBacc entries at the higher 9-4 threshold and only 16.7% of pupils entered for the EBacc at all, the data suggests a cohort that is not pursuing the traditional academic pathway in large numbers.

Academically, the available results paint a mixed picture. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 20.3 is low, and the EBacc APS of 2.14 reflects a narrow, lower-attaining profile. The basics measure — the proportion of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths — stands at 33.3%, which is significantly below the national average. At the more demanding grade 5 threshold, that figure drops to 16.7%. There is no Progress 8 data to show how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points, so it’s hard to judge whether the low attainment reflects intake or teaching. The school does not offer the full EBacc suite to most pupils, with a 0% EBacc 9-4 pass rate. For families focused on A-level or vocational routes, this may be less of a concern, but for those wanting a strong academic foundation, the outcomes here are well below what most Bury secondaries deliver. The school’s small size means results can be volatile, and the data covers only a tiny cohort.

On the practical side, Bury College offers a surprising range of facilities for such a small institution, including tennis courts, a swimming pool, a library, music rooms, a sports hall, playing fields, and even a chapel. Sports provision covers cross country, football, athletics, martial arts, tennis, and dance, while clubs include science club, Model UN, film club, Young Enterprise, and orchestra. The school is non-boarding and has no religious character. With a capacity of just 45, it is likely heavily oversubscribed or highly selective in its intake, though no admissions data is provided to confirm this. The headteacher is Charlie Deane. This school will suit families looking for a small, community-focused setting with decent facilities and a broad extracurricular offer, but the academic outcomes are a clear concern. Parents should weigh the low attainment figures carefully against the school’s size and the specific needs of their child, particularly if they are aiming for strong GCSE results or a traditional academic sixth-form route.

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