Ormiston Meridian Academy

About Ormiston Meridian Academy

Ormiston Meridian Academy’s headline Progress 8 score of -0.24 tells a more encouraging story than the Stoke-on-Trent local authority average of -0.47. That gap of 0.23 is significant — it means pupils here, on average, make stronger academic progress than their peers across the city’s other state secondaries. The school ranks 5th out of 17 similar schools in the LA, placing it comfortably in the top third locally. Its Attainment 8 score of 42.4, while below the national average, is solid for a school where 46.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals — well above the national average. The basics measure at grade 4 or above (59.9%) also suggests a majority of students leave with solid foundations in English and maths. That said, the Progress 8 banding is officially 'Below average' nationally, so it’s worth keeping perspective: this is a school doing better than its local peers, but still with room to improve against the wider country.

Digging into the Ofsted breakdown, the school earned a Good rating across all four categories in its January 2022 inspection — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management all scored 2. That’s a clear step up from its previous inspection in 2016, when overall effectiveness was Requires Improvement. The Progress 8 subject breakdown shows English (-0.09) and maths (-0.12) are close to the national average, while the EBacc element (-0.37) and open subjects (-0.28) lag a bit more. Only 32% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects, and 19.3% achieved it at grade 4 or above. The school has no sixth form, so all 1,044 pupils are in Years 7 to 11 — and it’s oversubscribed, with 315 applications for 173 places in 2025/26 and 141 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.82.

Facilities are surprisingly strong for a state secondary: a swimming pool, theatre, chapel, gymnasium, sports hall, ICT suite and library are all on site. Sports provision is broad, including rowing, hockey and athletics, and clubs range from Film Club to DofE and orchestra. The school’s SEND register covers eight categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support — useful for families whose children need extra help. With a capacity of 966 but 1,044 pupils on roll, the school is operating above its official capacity, which may affect classroom sizes. This is a school that suits families prioritising a strong local reputation and progress that outpaces the city average, especially those comfortable with a large, mixed, non-selective environment that serves a high-deprivation intake.

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