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Great Academy Ashton

Tameside, OL6 8RFSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
3 Good · 1 Requires improvement
Mar 2025
Progress 8
-0.56
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
0.7×
Not oversubscribed
174 1st-choice / 254 places
Ranking
#2,694
of 3,141 nationally

About Great Academy Ashton

Great Academy Ashton is a large secondary school in Tameside with 1,299 pupils on roll, just shy of its 1,350 capacity. The school serves a community with significant economic disadvantage: 47% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Demand for places is strong — for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 376 applications for 254 places, with 174 of those coming as first preferences. That oversubscription ratio of 1.48 suggests local families are actively choosing the school despite its recent Ofsted rating. The school is non-selective, mixed, and has no religious character, catering for pupils aged 11 to 16 with no sixth form. Headteacher Matthew Little leads a school where the pupil body is notably diverse in its needs, with a wide range of SEND provisions on offer including support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressBroadoak Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, OL6 8RF
HeadteacherMatthew Little
Local AuthorityTameside
Number of Pupils1,299
Free School Meals (FSM)47.0%
School Capacity1,299 / 1,350 (96% full)

The full report on this school

What 63 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, 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 Mar 2025
View Report
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 15 May 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

6
Swimming PoolLibraryTheatreDining HallSports HallMusic Rooms

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

13

Sports

Martial ArtsBadmintonRoundersCross CountryAthleticsCricket

Clubs & Activities

Young EnterpriseCodingBook ClubModel United NationsDuke of EdinburghNewspaperChoir

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Great Academy Ashton

Great Academy Ashton has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.