Unity Academy Blackpool Review 2026: All-through academy with early years strength and a clear improvement agenda

Unity Academy Blackpool is an all-through academy in the Warbreck area of Blackpool, taking children from age 2 through to GCSE. The through-school model matters here, because it shapes everything from transition to pastoral routines; pupils can move from Nursery into Reception, then on into secondary without the disruption of changing sites or cultures.

The current leadership picture is transitional. The school website identifies John Connolly as Acting Headteacher, a status also reflected in school communications to families in late 2025.

The wider context is important for parents to understand. The latest graded inspection under the current Ofsted approach took place on 10 and 11 December 2024, with key judgements including Inadequate for quality of education and leadership and management. That inspection triggered special measures, and a subsequent Department for Education warning notice was published on 26 March 2025.

The school’s own framing emphasises clear expectations, using the ethos phrase “Ready, Respectful and Safe” across its public messaging. This kind of language typically signals a strong focus on routines, consistent adult responses, and predictable boundaries, which many families value when they want school to feel orderly and calm.

Because this is an all-through setting, culture is not one-size-fits-all. Early years, primary, and secondary pupils have different needs, and the most useful way to judge fit is to look at how well the school describes what it is trying to do for each stage. The school highlights a curriculum offer that includes an entitlement curriculum and a Forest School model designed around its pupils.

External evidence provides a mixed picture that parents should weigh carefully. The latest inspection documentation describes pupils as typically happy and positive about relationships with staff, and it also points to challenges with behaviour that, at times, affects learning. The implication for families is that day-to-day experience may depend strongly on year group, class, and the consistency of behaviour expectations being applied.

Nursery provision and early years

Nursery provision is a genuine part of the offer here, with places from age 2, which can be a major practical advantage for local families looking for continuity from early years into school. The most recent inspection evidence also draws a distinction between stronger early years practice and weaker delivery further up the school, which is a useful nuance for parents of younger children to note.

If you are specifically comparing nurseries, do not assume the main school experience is identical to early years. Ask how progression works from Nursery to Reception, how phonics readiness is checked, and how the school supports children who join at different points in the year.

Because Unity Academy Blackpool spans primary and secondary, parents should read performance in two ways: primary outcomes at Key Stage 2, and GCSE outcomes at Key Stage 4. These figures below come from FindMySchool rankings and official performance data provided for this review.

Primary outcomes (Key Stage 2)

In 2024, 65.33% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, above the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 10.67% achieved greater depth across reading, writing and mathematics, above the England average of 8%. Reading performance shows an average scaled score of 104, with mathematics at 100 and grammar, punctuation and spelling at 101.

Rankings give additional context. Ranked 13,172nd in England and 26th in Blackpool for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results sit below England average overall, in the bottom 40% band nationally.

The practical implication is that primary outcomes, while slightly above England average on the headline combined measure in 2024, have not translated into a strong national ranking position. Families should therefore look beyond a single headline measure and ask how the school is securing consistency across cohorts and across year groups.

GCSE outcomes

At GCSE level, the overall picture is more challenging. The school’s Attainment 8 score is 26.5, and Progress 8 is -1.94, which indicates students, on average, make substantially less progress than peers with similar prior attainment. EBacc measures also show a low average EBacc APS of 2.14, and 1.8% of pupils achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc measure.

Ranked 3,823rd in England and 7th in Blackpool for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school again sits in the bottom 40% band nationally.

Parents should read this as a signal to focus on improvement trajectory, curriculum delivery, and how teaching quality is being stabilised across subjects, rather than expecting results alone to answer the question.

The school is explicit that it wants a broad curriculum, and inspection documentation notes that curriculum ambition exists but that the delivery has not been strong enough to secure consistently good outcomes for pupils from Year 1 through Year 11. Where a curriculum is broad but delivery is variable, pupils often experience uneven quality between subjects, and progress becomes less predictable.

There are, however, specific areas that appear more secure. Reading is highlighted in the inspection evidence as more effectively supported, including phonics catch-up and matching books to pupils’ reading stages, with this support extending into secondary for those who need it. For families with children who need structured reading support, that is a meaningful positive detail, provided it is applied consistently.

Early years practice

In early years, the published evidence indicates a stronger curriculum experience, with children, including those in the two-year-old provision, benefiting from activities that support early development and preparation for Year 1. For parents of Nursery and Reception pupils, this suggests the early years team may be an area of relative strength, even while whole-school improvement work continues.

Because the school currently educates pupils up to age 16, the key transition point for families is post-16. The website emphasises careers education and links to local labour market insight, with partnerships across universities, colleges, apprenticeship providers and employers. The useful parent question is how this translates into structured guidance for Year 10 and Year 11, including experience of work, employer encounters, and clear pathways to local sixth form and college provision.

Within the all-through structure, transition from Year 6 to Year 7 is not about changing schools, it is about changing phase. For many pupils this reduces anxiety and supports continuity. For others, it can create a sense that secondary is simply a larger version of primary. Ask how the school marks the change in expectations at Year 7, including homework routines, subject teaching, and pastoral support.

Unity Academy Blackpool is oversubscribed on both main entry routes provided.

For the Reception and primary entry route, there were 62 applications for 30 offers, a ratio of 2.07 applications per place, with the route marked as oversubscribed.

For Year 7 entry, there were 208 applications for 119 offers, a ratio of 1.75 applications per place, again marked as oversubscribed.

Distance data is not available for this review, so families should not rely on informal assumptions about how far a place might reach in a given year. If proximity is likely to matter, use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check your precise distance, and confirm criteria in the local authority admissions documentation.

Timelines for 2026 entry

For Blackpool secondary applications for September 2026 entry, the local authority guidance states applications must be completed by Friday 31 October 2025.

For Blackpool primary applications for September 2026 entry, local authority guidance states applications must be submitted by Monday 15 January 2026.

Offer dates follow the national timetable, with secondary offers on 1 March and primary offers on 16 April.

Pastoral support is often where an all-through school can be most effective, because staff can build long-term knowledge of families and patterns. The latest inspection materials describe respectful relationships with staff and pupils valuing the care they receive, alongside concerns about behaviour that can interrupt learning.

The safeguarding position is a key reassurance point for families; the latest inspection states that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

For parents considering entry at Year 7 or later, it is worth asking how behaviour support is targeted, what escalation looks like, and how quickly learning disruption is tackled. For parents of younger children, ask how the school supports emotional regulation and language development, particularly for children entering Nursery at age 2.

Extracurricular breadth matters most when it is tangible, consistent, and accessible to a wide range of pupils. Inspection evidence points to a wide range of clubs across sports, art and music, alongside theatre trips and residential experiences focused on outdoor and adventurous activity. The implication is that, even while academic improvement work continues, there is still a deliberate effort to provide wider experiences that build confidence and social connection.

On the school website, several specific strands stand out:

• Forest School, described as a structured approach built around objectives such as independence, confidence, communication and self-esteem. For many pupils, this kind of learning is most valuable when it is embedded over time rather than treated as a one-off enrichment day. Ask which year groups access it and how frequently.

• Reading culture initiatives, including Unity Book Club and reading support routes linked to recognised programmes. This aligns with the inspection evidence that reading support is an area where the school has clearer practice.

• Leadership opportunities, including anti-bullying ambassadors and school counsellors, which are explicitly referenced in inspection documentation. Roles like these can be particularly valuable in secondary, because they make culture visible and give students an active role in shaping behaviour norms.

Facilities mentioned in school documentation for younger phases include access to spaces such as a drama studio, dance studio, refurbished science labs, and food technology rooms. For parents, the useful question is how often pupils access these specialist spaces, and whether that access is equitable across year groups and sets.

This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. Families should still plan for the usual associated costs that can apply in any school setting, such as uniform, trips, and optional activities.

For Nursery provision, fee arrangements can vary; the school does not present fee figures in the public pages reviewed here, so families should request the current Nursery pricing and confirm how funded early education hours apply to their child’s age and eligibility.

The school publishes the total weekly hours as 32.5 hours. Start and finish times are not published on the “School Day” page itself, so families should confirm timings directly, especially if planning childcare or transport.

Wraparound care is offered through breakfast and after-school club provision, with the school indicating places are available and an application process via the office team. Specific session times and pricing are not published on that page, so parents should request the latest details.

For travel planning, this is a North Blackpool location; check local bus routes and realistic journey times at the times you would actually travel, especially for primary drop-off and secondary start-of-day peaks.

• Inspection and improvement context. The most recent inspection identifies serious weaknesses in curriculum delivery and leadership. Families should ask what has changed since December 2024, how improvement is being checked, and what milestones governors and the trust are using.

• Secondary outcomes are weak. A Progress 8 score of -1.94 and an Attainment 8 score of 26.5 suggest outcomes have been well below England expectations for students with similar starting points. This may improve over time, but families should press for clear evidence of rapid progress in teaching consistency.

• Leadership status is transitional. The school website identifies an Acting Headteacher. In a school in special measures, leadership stability and clarity of roles can materially affect day-to-day experience.

• Oversubscription on both main entry routes. Demand exceeds places at both Reception and Year 7. If you are relying on a place, treat admissions as a structured process, not an assumption.

Unity Academy Blackpool offers genuine practical advantages, particularly for families who value an all-through journey from Nursery onwards and want continuity across phases. The strongest documented positives relate to early years practice, reading support, and a commitment to wider experiences through clubs, responsibilities, and enrichment.

The central question is improvement pace and consistency. The latest inspection and the dataset’s secondary outcomes indicate that academic quality and leadership capacity have not been secure enough. This option suits families who prioritise locality and continuity, and who are prepared to engage actively with the school’s improvement plan, asking detailed questions about teaching consistency, behaviour expectations, and measurable progress.