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Unity Academy Blackpool

Blackpool, FY2 0TSSecondaryAges 2–16MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
2 Good · 3 Requires improvement
Dec 2024
Progress 8
-1.94
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
114 1st-choice / 119 places
Ranking
#3,127
of 3,141 nationally

About Unity Academy Blackpool

Unity Academy Blackpool is a mixed state secondary in Blackpool, one of ten schools of its type in the local authority. It serves pupils from age 2 to 16, with no sixth form, and is led by headteacher John Connolly. In the most recent local rankings based on Progress 8 scores, the school sits ninth out of nine ranked schools, placing it at the bottom of the LA table. For context, the top-performing local peers include St George's School A Church of England Academy, The Blackpool Sixth Form College, and St Mary's Catholic Academy, all of which achieved higher Progress 8 scores. The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 208 applications for 119 places and 114 first-preference applications, suggesting strong local demand despite its ranking. With 60.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a significantly disadvantaged community, and its capacity of 1020 is close to full with 946 pupils on roll.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range2 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressWarbreck Hill Road, Blackpool, Blackpool, FY2 0TS
HeadteacherJohn Connolly
Local AuthorityBlackpool
Number of Pupils946
Free School Meals (FSM)60.3%
School Capacity946 / 1,020 (93% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

10 Dec 2024
View Report
Quality of Education
Inadequate
Behaviour & Attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Inadequate
Early Years Provision
Good

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

Source: Ofsted, 6 Mar 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

10
TheatreMusic RoomsAstro TurfScience LabsPlaying FieldsTennis CourtsSports HallArt StudiosICT SuiteChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

17

Sports

DanceRugbyHockeyBasketballGymnasticsRoundersRowingCross CountryFootballSwimming

Clubs & Activities

Young EnterpriseChoirNewspaperScience ClubOrchestraModel United NationsChess

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

SEND Support

DyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:55 – 15:15

Breakfast club

07:30-08:50

After-school care

15:15-18:00

Source: unity.blackpool.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Unity Academy Blackpool

Unity Academy Blackpool has been rated "Inadequate" by Ofsted. This means the school has been identified as needing significant improvement. Ofsted will monitor the school closely.