E-ACT the Oldham Academy North

About E-ACT the Oldham Academy North

E-ACT the Oldham Academy North is a mixed secondary school for 11 to 16 year olds, run by the E-ACT trust in the Oldham local authority. It currently holds the second highest Progress 8 score among the 12 state secondaries in Oldham, sitting just behind The Blue Coat CofE School, the only school in the borough rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Its closest rivals in the local rankings are Oasis Academy Leesbrook and Saddleworth School, but the Academy North has pulled well ahead of both on academic progress. The school is led by headteacher James Wilson and is significantly oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 362 applications for 252 places, with 113 first-preference offers made. That oversubscription ratio of 1.44 tells you local families are keen to get in. The school is non-denominational and serves a community where 47.1 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average, making its strong performance all the more notable.

Academically, the school is performing well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.38 is rated ‘Above average’ nationally and sits comfortably above the Oldham LA average of -0.13. That means pupils here make significantly more progress than their peers in other local schools. The Attainment 8 score is 46.9, and 67.1 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, dropping to 48.1 per cent at grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is 55.6 per cent, with 31.5 per cent achieving the full EBacc at grade 4 and above. In its most recent Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. The previous graded inspection in 2016 had rated the school Requires Improvement, and an ungraded inspection in April 2025 noted that the school had ‘Improved significantly’ since then. Parent feedback is very positive: 87 per cent would recommend the school, and strong majorities agree their child is happy, feels safe, and that the school has high expectations.

The school is well equipped, with facilities including a library, ICT suites, science labs, a theatre, gymnasium, astro turf, and playing fields. There is no sixth form, so pupils leave at 16. The school offers a wide range of sports, from netball and hockey to rowing and rugby, and clubs including Model UN, Young Enterprise, Debate, Orchestra, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. SEND provision covers nine areas, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. In the Parent View survey, 80 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that SEND children get the support they need. This is a school that suits families looking for strong academic progress in a diverse, non-selective setting, particularly those who value a broad extracurricular offer and a school that has demonstrably improved its standards in recent years.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About E-ACT the Oldham Academy North

Helpful Guides for Parents