Unity Academy Blackpool
Blackpool, FY2 0TS · Blackpool · all-through school
Check the area around this school
8th of 8 secondary schools in Blackpool we can score. 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 — 0.1/10 against 146 of them, against 0.1/10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 14.2 · 1 | 46% | 0.05 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -1.94 · 0 | 38% | 0.00 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 27.9 · 0 | 15% | 0.01 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Unity Academy Blackpool overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 17.6% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 29.3, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -1.94 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than nationally matched peers. 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 (0.3 out of 10 against similar schools, 0.1 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom
The school provides a breakfast club and an after-school club.
Getting in
The published school roll is 877 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,020. 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 gap between their current attainment and the national median? What specific strategies are used to improve Progress 8 scores for students starting from similar backgrounds? How do the breakfast and after-school clubs integrate with the wider curriculum to support learning?
What Ofsted said about Unity Academy Blackpool
Overview
The report states that the school is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education and requires special measures. While early years provision and personal development are rated positively, the quality of education and leadership are deemed inadequate, with behaviour requiring improvement.
Strengths
- Early years provision is strong, with children making a "positive start" and being "well prepared for the demands of Year 1".
- Personal development is good; pupils know how to keep themselves "physically and mentally healthy" and value differences between people.
- Pupils enjoy "respectful relationships" with staff and benefit from a wide range of clubs, trips, and community activities.
- Reading support is effective, with pupils becoming "confident and fluent readers" through well-matched books and phonics assistance.
- Safeguarding arrangements are "effective".
Areas to improve
- Governance must develop "detailed oversight" and secure "rapid improvements" to address the decline in education quality.
- Curriculum delivery is weak; staff must be equipped to help pupils develop "sufficient depth of knowledge" rather than just recalling facts.
- Staff must address gaps and misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge "in a timely manner" so learning is secure before moving on.
- Support is needed for pupils who lack motivation, as their behaviour "hinders the learning of others".
Safeguarding
The report confirms that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 26.5 |
| 2024/25 | 29.3 |
| 2025/26 | 27.9 |
| 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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