Morecambe Bay Academy
66%
Capacity
1,019
Pupils
2.2x
Demand
About Morecambe Bay Academy
Morecambe Bay Academy is a mixed state secondary school and sixth form in the Lancashire local authority, serving 1,019 pupils aged 11 to 18. In the most recent local rankings for Progress 8, it placed 75th out of 90 same-type schools in the county, putting it in the bottom tier of Lancashire secondaries. The top-performing peers in the area include Preston Muslim Girls High School, Eden Boys' School, Preston, and Holy Cross Catholic High School, all of which recorded significantly higher Progress 8 scores. The school is led by headteacher Jen Pardoe and has no religious character. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in September 2023, rated the school Good across all categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This marks a notable improvement from its previous inspection in 2018, when the school was rated Inadequate overall.
Academically, the school's results sit below both the national and local averages. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -0.77, which is well below average and significantly lower than the Lancashire local authority average of -0.11. The Attainment 8 score was 35.2, and only 19.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate was very low at 5.1%, and just 1.1% of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. In the sixth form, the school had 50 students and achieved a value-added score of -0.14, which is rated as Average. The average points per entry was 25.96, equating to a grade of C-. No students achieved AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects. The school ranks 7th out of 7 schools in the Lancaster local area by Progress 8, and 390th out of 445 in the North West region.
The school is oversubscribed for Year 7 entry in 2025/26, with 420 applications for 194 places and 149 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.16. Facilities include a swimming pool, sports hall, theatre, science labs, art studios, music rooms, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include rowing, martial arts, rugby, and gymnastics, while clubs range from the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and Model UN to coding and eco club. The school has a wide range of SEND provisions, covering autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, and physical disabilities. With 39.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average disadvantage. It will suit families looking for a large, improving secondary with strong sixth-form provision and a broad extracurricular offer, particularly those who value the recent Ofsted upgrade and the range of on-site facilities.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Dallam Avenue, Morecambe, Lancaster, LA4 5BG |
| Headteacher | Jen Pardoe |
| Local Authority | Lancashire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,019 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 39.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,019 / 1,539 (66% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
20 Sept 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 29 Oct 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.77)
2901st of 3,141
Nationally
390th of 445
In North West
7th of 7
In Lancaster
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
27.6
'22/23
28.2
'23/24
26.0
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2337%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 215 pupils).
- FE college44%
- School sixth form (stay)37%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Employment6%
- Not sustained5%
- Sixth form college1%
94% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2334%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 77 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
9%
Russell Group
20%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- Employment40%
- University (HE)34%
- Not sustained12%
- Further education6%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology21
- History15
- Business Studies:Single12
- Art and Design (Fine Art)11
- English Language10
- Geography10
- Mathematics10
- Media/Film/Tv Studies10
- Physics9
- Computer Studies / Computing7
- Religious Studies7
- Art and Design (Photography)6
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed194
420
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
149 families put this school as their 1st choice (35% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Breakfast club
08:00-08:45
Source: morecambebayacademy.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British83.1%
- White (other)6.3%
- Mixed2.7%
- Asian1.1%
- 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.
7
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
6
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 Morecambe Bay 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
Dallam Avenue, Morecambe
Lancaster, LA4 5BG
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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