Edgar Wood Academy
71%
Capacity
637
Pupils
2.3x
Demand
About Edgar Wood Academy
Edgar Wood Academy, a mixed state secondary for 11-16 year olds in Rochdale, serves a student body where 41.3% are eligible for free school meals, significantly above the national average. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it as Requires Improvement overall, placing it below the local authority average for secondary schools in Rochdale. While the LA's average Progress 8 score sits at -0.25, Edgar Wood's own Progress 8 figure is not available in the data, but the Ofsted rating suggests academic outcomes are a concern. The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 329 applications for 144 places, and 101 first-preference offers, indicating strong local demand despite the inspection grade. This contrast between high demand and a Requires Improvement rating is a key point for parents to weigh up.
The Ofsted breakdown shows a mixed picture. Personal Development was rated Good, the only area to achieve that grade. However, the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all require improvement. The parent view data, based on 56 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, reveals significant dissatisfaction. Only 32% of parents would recommend the school, and 68% would not. On key questions, 50% strongly disagreed that SEND children get the support they need, and 39% strongly disagreed that concerns are dealt with properly. Just 45% agreed their child is happy, and 39% agreed their child feels safe. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils must move elsewhere after Year 11.
Edgar Wood offers a wide range of facilities including a sports hall, swimming pool, theatre, music rooms, science labs, and a library. Clubs include choir, art, drama, Model UN, coding, chess, and eco club, while sports on offer are swimming, netball, cricket, tennis, cross country, dance, and athletics. The school has a broad SEND provision covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, multi-sensory impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. With a capacity of 900 and currently 637 pupils, there is room for growth. This school may suit families who value the range of facilities and activities and who are prepared to engage actively with the school on its improvement journey, particularly around behaviour, communication, and SEND support.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Heywood Old Road, Heywood, Rochdale, OL10 2QN |
| Headteacher | Paul Jones |
| Local Authority | Rochdale |
| Number of Pupils | 637 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 41.3% |
| School Capacity | 637 / 900 (71% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
21 Nov 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Source: Ofsted, 18 Jan 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Ofsted Parent View
56 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed144
329
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
101 families put this school as their 1st choice (31% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:00
Breakfast club
07:30-08:30
Source: edgarwood.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British68.9%
- Mixed6.9%
- Asian6.6%
- White (other)6.3%
- Black0.6%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
4
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
2
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Edgar Wood Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Heywood Old Road, Heywood
Rochdale, OL10 2QN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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