Classpot

Copley Academy

Tameside, SK15 3RRSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Jun 2024
Progress 8
-0.90
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
0.7×
Not oversubscribed
66 1st-choice / 98 places
Ranking
#2,980
of 3,141 nationally

About Copley Academy

Copley Academy is a secondary school in Tameside that currently serves 574 pupils, well below its capacity of 790, and it is oversubscribed: for 98 places in the 2025/26 intake, the school received 235 applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.4. Of those, 66 were first-preference offers. This level of demand suggests that local families are actively choosing the school despite its recent history. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024, the school was rated Good across all five categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and overall effectiveness. That is a notable improvement from its previous inspection in November 2021, when it was rated Requires Improvement overall, with behaviour and attitudes also at that lower grade. The headteacher is Ruth Craven.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressHuddersfield Road, Stalybridge, Tameside, SK15 3RR
HeadteacherRuth Craven
Local AuthorityTameside
Number of Pupils574
Free School Meals (FSM)42.7%
School Capacity574 / 790 (73% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

11 Jun 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Source: Ofsted, 9 Jul 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

13
Dining HallSixth Form CentreLibraryScience LabsTennis CourtsSports HallPlaying FieldsGymnasiumAstro TurfTheatreArt StudiosSwimming PoolChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

16

Sports

Martial ArtsDanceHockeySwimmingCross CountryRoundersAthleticsGymnastics

Clubs & Activities

DramaBook ClubNewspaperChoirDuke of EdinburghYoung EnterpriseCodingEco Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Copley Academy

Copley Academy has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.