Hazel Wood High School
Bury, BL9 7QT · Bury · secondary school
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7th of 12 secondary schools in Bury we can score, 14 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 4.3/10 against 200 of them, against 2.3/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 20.3 · 4 | 30% | 0.11 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.02 · 52 | 25% | 1.30 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 35.6 · 6 | 10% | 0.06 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Hazel Wood High School overview
How it's doing
Ofsted rated the school Good in June 2023. In 2024/25, 25.4% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 35.7, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.02 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did slightly better than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (4.9 out of 10 against similar schools, 2.6 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join cricket, debate, and the Presentation Workshop, with work experience trips and an after-school club available.
Getting in
The published school roll is 671 pupils against a stated capacity of 600. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
What specific support is available for pupils aiming to raise their Attainment 8 scores? How does the after-school club integrate with the wider curriculum?
What Ofsted said about Hazel Wood High School
Overview
Hazel Wood High School is a happy place where pupils wear their uniform with pride and benefit from a "diverse and respectful school community." Leaders have raised expectations and redesigned the curriculum, ensuring that pupils, including those with special educational needs, are now "successful learners who know and remember more over time." The school fosters positive relationships, with staff trusted by pupils and bullying incidents dealt with quickly to ensure safety.
Strengths
- The curriculum is carefully ordered to allow pupils to "build their knowledge logically over time," with teachers using subject expertise to devise appropriate activities.
- Leaders have strengthened systems to identify and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, ensuring they "learn the curriculum well."
- A "carefully considered catch-up programme" helps many pupils who arrived without fluent reading skills to learn to read with confidence.
- Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including debating, sports, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, alongside community events.
- Staff feel "respected and valued by leaders," who are mindful of workload and well-being, while governors hold leaders to account effectively.
Areas to improve
- In a few subjects, some teachers do not "identify and address pupils’ misconceptions effectively enough," meaning some pupils do not learn as well as they should.
- A small proportion of older pupils who missed earlier support still find reading difficult, which "hampers their progress across the curriculum."
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with a "strong culture of safeguarding" where staff are well trained, vigilant, and respond quickly to concerns.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 42.1 |
| 2024/25 | 35.7 |
| 2025/26 | 35.6 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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