Wellacre Technology Academy
70%
Capacity
718
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Wellacre Technology Academy
Wellacre Technology Academy is a boys' secondary school in Trafford with 718 pupils on roll, well below its official capacity of 1,032. That gap might suggest room to grow, but the admissions data tells a different story: for 2025/26, the school received 244 applications for 143 places, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 1.71 applicants per place. Of those, 114 were first-preference applications, all of which received offers. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 22.1%, which is notably higher than the national average for secondary schools (around 14-15%) and signals a more disadvantaged intake than many Trafford schools. Trafford as a local authority is a high-performing area, home to grammar schools like Altrincham Grammar School for Boys and Loreto Grammar School, so Wellacre sits in a competitive landscape. Its non-selective, single-sex intake and higher FSM rate mean it serves a distinct community within the borough.
Academically, Wellacre's most recent Progress 8 score was -0.32, which is below average nationally and places it 17th out of 19 schools in Trafford. The local authority average Progress 8 is +0.36, so the school is performing nearly 0.7 of a grade per subject below the LA norm. Attainment 8 came in at 45.6, and the basics measure (grade 4 or above in English and maths) was 71.6%, though this drops to 47.4% when using the grade 5 threshold. Only 2.6% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects, a very low take-up rate. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, the school was rated Requires Improvement overall, with leadership and management and quality of education both requiring improvement. Behaviour and attitudes and personal development were both rated Good, which suggests the school's culture is a relative strength even as academic outcomes need work. Compared with its previous Good rating in 2017, this represents a decline.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, a theatre, and science labs, plus clubs like the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, coding, choir, and drama. Sports on offer include athletics, cricket, basketball, and badminton. Wellacre has a broad SEND register covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder, so it is well set up to support a range of additional needs. There is no sixth form, so pupils leave at 16. For families in Trafford looking for a single-sex boys' school with strong pastoral care and a wide activities programme, Wellacre could be a good fit, particularly if they value the supportive environment over top-tier academic results. The oversubscription suggests it is a popular local choice despite its Ofsted rating.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Irlam Road, Urmston, Manchester, Trafford, M41 6AP |
| Headteacher | Julie Sharrock |
| Local Authority | Trafford |
| Number of Pupils | 718 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 22.1% |
| School Capacity | 718 / 1,032 (70% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
17 Oct 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Source: Ofsted, 22 Jan 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.32)
2288th of 3,141
Nationally
288th of 445
In North West
17th of 19
In Trafford
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make 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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/235%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 117 pupils).
- FE college62%
- Employment11%
- Sixth form college9%
- Apprenticeship8%
- School sixth form (stay)5%
- Not sustained5%
95% 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.
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
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed143
244
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
114 families put this school as their 1st choice (47% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:00
Source: wellacre.org. 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British80.4%
- Mixed7.5%
- Asian6.6%
- White (other)2.5%
- Black0.3%
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.
Half 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.
6
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
5
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wellacre Technology 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
Irlam Road, Urmston, Manchester
Trafford, M41 6AP
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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