Montgomery Academy

About Montgomery Academy

Montgomery Academy is a mixed, non-denominational secondary school in Blackpool that currently educates 1,174 pupils against a capacity of 1,250, meaning it operates with a small number of unfilled places. The proportion of students eligible for free school meals stands at 36.9%, which is significantly higher than the national average and reflects the school’s role in serving a community with above-average levels of economic disadvantage. Despite this, demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 404 total applications for 243 places, with 247 first-preference applications and 221 first-preference offers made. This oversubscription ratio of 1.66 indicates that the school is a popular choice among local families, even though it does not have a sixth form or any religious character. The headteacher is Stephen Careless, and the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024 rated it Good overall, a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in February 2022.

Academically, Montgomery Academy’s performance presents a mixed picture. In the 2023/24 exam results, the school’s Progress 8 score was -0.92, which is classified as ‘Well below average’ nationally and places it 4th out of 9 schools in the Blackpool local authority. This is slightly above the LA average Progress 8 score of -0.98, suggesting the school performs in line with or marginally better than its immediate local peers. The Attainment 8 score was 35.6, and the basics measure (grade 5 or above in English and maths) was achieved by 21.3% of pupils, while 37.3% achieved a grade 4 or above. The EBacc average point score was 2.95, with only 4.9% of pupils achieving the EBacc at grade 5 or above and 11.1% entering the EBacc combination. In the North West region, the school ranks 410th out of 445 schools by Progress 8, and nationally it sits at 2,987th out of 3,141 schools, placing it in the bottom 50% of all state secondaries.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including playing fields, a sports hall, astro turf, science labs, an ICT suite, and a library, though it does not have a sixth form centre for its own students as it is an 11-16 school. Sports on offer include rugby, football, tennis, rounders, cross country, and martial arts, while clubs range from Eco Club and Gardening to Model UN, Orchestra, and Chess. The school’s SEND provisions are extensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate to severe learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes Montgomery Academy a practical choice for families whose children require additional support, particularly given the high FSM context and the school’s demonstrated ability to improve its Ofsted rating from Requires Improvement to Good. It is likely to suit families seeking a large, inclusive secondary with strong pastoral and SEND infrastructure, though those prioritising high academic outcomes may want to compare it with higher-performing local alternatives.

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