The Excel Academy
Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 6LG · Stoke-on-Trent · secondary school
Check the area around this school
7th of 14 secondary schools in Stoke-on-Trent we can score, 15 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 2.5/10 against 676 of them, against 2.2/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. 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 | 33% | 1.72 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 37.0 · 30 | 31% | 0.93 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.57 · 13 | 26% | 0.33 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 40.7 · 23 | 10% | 0.24 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
The Excel Academy overview
How it's doing
The school is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected in 2022. In 2024/25, 29.3% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 37.5, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.57 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Its results are much the same when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds, so the gap is not explained by intake (1.4 out of 10 either way).
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,184 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,200. 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
How does the school support pupils to close the attainment gap with the national median? What specific interventions are in place to improve Progress 8 scores? How does the school ensure the Good Ofsted rating is maintained in daily teaching?
What Ofsted said about The Excel Academy
Overview
The Excel Academy continues to be a good school, characterised by a strong sense of community and positive relationships based on mutual respect. Pupils are described as happy, safe, and proud of their school, behaving in a calm and mature manner. Leaders maintain high expectations, ensuring pupils study a wide range of subjects and achieve well through a carefully planned curriculum.
Strengths
- Staff and pupils talk positively about the ‘Excel way’, with strong relationships and effective behaviour management.
- The curriculum is well-designed, particularly in mathematics and English, helping pupils ‘learn more and remember more over time’.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive effective support and achieve well.
- Reading is a priority, with effective support and timetabled lessons helping pupils become ‘more confident and fluent’.
- A wide range of extra-curricular activities and character development programmes promote personal growth and leadership skills.
Areas to improve
- Assessment use is inconsistent between departments; leaders should ensure it is used ‘equally effectively in all subjects’ to address misconceptions.
- In some subjects, teachers do not quickly identify pupils’ misconceptions, sometimes moving on before pupils have fully grasped previous content.
- The proportion of pupils studying the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) was below the national ambition, requiring plans to increase modern foreign language uptake.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with robust systems for staff recruitment and effective collaboration with external agencies to support vulnerable pupils.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 39.8 |
| 2024/25 | 37.5 |
| 2025/26 | 40.7 |
| 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
Saved schools live on this device only — no account, no tracking. Visit the school's website
Loading full school details…
Similar schools nearby
Same area, prioritising the same phase — useful for shortlisting alternatives.
Every school within 2.5 miles of ST1 6LG, with results, demand and deadlines — area report →
Have a specific question about admissions, scores or dates?
Ask SchoolsGPT