The Albion Academy

About The Albion Academy

The Albion Academy in Salford is a mixed 11-16 secondary school that is currently oversubscribed, a clear signal of its local popularity. With 896 pupils on roll against a capacity of 875, the school is operating slightly above its official limit. Demand is strong: for the 2025/26 academic year, there were 246 total applications for 172 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.43. Of those, 152 families put it as their first preference, and 150 received first-preference offers. The school serves a community with significant economic disadvantage — 57.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average of around 23% and notably higher than the Salford average for secondary schools. This context matters when interpreting the school’s academic results, as schools with high FSM rates often face additional challenges. Headteacher Mathew Rogers leads a school that has clearly built a reputation strong enough to generate consistent local demand.

Academically, The Albion Academy performs solidly for a school with its intake profile. Its Progress 8 score of -0.04 is classed as ‘Average’ by the Department for Education, meaning pupils achieve broadly in line with expectations given their starting points. This is a strong result compared with the Salford local authority average of -0.22, placing the school 5th out of 15 secondary schools in the borough. In the North West region, it ranks 175th out of 445 schools, and nationally it sits around the median. The Attainment 8 score is 40.9, and 63.5% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2023 rated it Good overall, with Good in all categories including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This represents a clear improvement from its previous inspection in 2016, when it was rated Requires Improvement.

The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, and science labs, alongside sports such as rowing, basketball, and tennis. Clubs include debate, gardening, and Model UN. For families with children who have special educational needs, the SEND provision is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and speech, language and communication needs, as well as physical disabilities and hearing or visual impairments. There is no sixth form or nursery provision. The Albion Academy is a good fit for families in Salford who want a well-regarded local secondary that serves a diverse, high-needs community and has shown clear improvement under its current leadership. Its oversubscription means early application is essential.

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