Classpot

Waterhead Academy

Oldham, OL4 3NYSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
1 Good · 3 Requires improvement
Jan 2025
Progress 8
-0.72
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
0.7×
Not oversubscribed
82 1st-choice / 117 places
Ranking
#2,862
of 3,141 nationally

About Waterhead Academy

Waterhead Academy is a mixed 11-16 secondary school in Oldham that currently serves 947 pupils against a capacity of 1,500, meaning it is significantly under-enrolled. The proportion of students eligible for free school meals stands at 49.6%, which is notably high and reflects the school's role in serving a disadvantaged community. Despite the spare capacity, the school was oversubscribed for 2025/26 admissions, receiving 153 applications for 117 places, with 82 first-preference offers made. This demand suggests that for many local families, Waterhead remains a key option, even with the challenges it faces. The school has no religious character and is led by headteacher Tracy Foy. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2025 judged the school as Requires Improvement overall, a step up from its previous Inadequate rating in 2022. The inspection noted that personal development is now Good, while behaviour and attitudes, quality of education, and leadership and management all require improvement.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressHuddersfield Road, Oldham, Oldham, OL4 3NY
HeadteacherTracy Foy
Local AuthorityOldham
Number of Pupils947
Free School Meals (FSM)49.6%
School Capacity947 / 1,500 (63% full)

The full report on this school

What 53 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
See an example
One-off paymentNo subscriptionStripe checkout

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

14 Jan 2025
View Report
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement

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

Source: Ofsted, 12 Feb 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

6
GymnasiumScience LabsArt StudiosLibraryMusic RoomsTheatre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

14

Sports

AthleticsMartial ArtsTennisSwimmingGymnasticsBasketballRowingBadminton

Clubs & Activities

Model United NationsNewspaperOrchestraDebateFilm ClubChoir

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning Difficulty

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:30 – 15:00

Source: waterheadacademy.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

Was this page helpful?

Frequently Asked Questions About Waterhead Academy

Waterhead Academy has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.