Co-op Academy Failsworth Review 2026: A large 11–16 academy with a clear improvement story and a packed after-school programme

Co-op Academy Failsworth is a large, mixed 11–16 secondary serving families around Failsworth and the wider Oldham area. The headline here is trajectory. The most recent inspection judged the academy Good across all areas (quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management), with a clear sense that expectations have risen and systems are now consistent.

This is not a school defined solely by exam tables. The academy positions success as a blend of academic achievement and broader personal development, and it backs that up with day-to-day structure, pastoral staffing, and a very specific extracurricular timetable that runs across the week.

For parents, the practical question is fit. Families who want a sizeable school with strong routines, visible pastoral capacity, and a wide choice of lunchtime and after-school activities will find plenty to like. Those seeking top-end results relative to England averages will need to weigh the progress still to make, alongside the school’s improvement evidence and the support it describes for students who need it most.

Scale shapes the experience. With a large roll and a clearly defined leadership and pastoral structure, day-to-day life is designed to be predictable. The academy also sits within the Co-op Academies Trust, which gives a wider governance and values framework around behaviour, inclusion, and community priorities.

Leadership is presented on the academy site with a named headteacher and an executive headteacher role above that. The current headteacher listed is Miss Rebecca Shaw, with Mr Phill Quirk named as executive headteacher. (The academy does not publicly state an appointment date for the headteacher in the sources available, so it is best treated as current leadership rather than a dated start point.)

The latest inspection evidence supports a calm, steady picture of day-to-day culture. Inspectors reported that most pupils are happy to come to school and that pupils say they feel safe, alongside higher expectations for behaviour and achievement than in the past.

One distinctive feature is the way “Family Time” appears in the daily structure, sitting alongside lunch arrangements and pastoral routines. That matters because it signals that the school has built time into the week for guidance, routines, and support, rather than treating pastoral work as an add-on.

This is a state school, so the most meaningful comparisons are against England benchmarks and local context.

GCSE ranking context (FindMySchool ranking based on official data)

the academy is ranked 2,980th in England for GCSE performance, and 65th within the Manchester local area in the same ranking set. That places it below England average overall, in the lower performance band (60th to 100th percentile).

In parent terms, this points to a school where outcomes are improving but not yet consistently strong compared with England averages, and where the “direction of travel” matters as much as the absolute numbers.

On the metrics available, the picture is mixed:

• Attainment 8: 42.3, compared with an England average of 45.9.

• Progress 8: -0.3, which indicates students, on average, make less progress than similar students nationally.

• EBacc average point score (APS): 3.47, compared with an England average of 4.08.

The inspection narrative aligns with this data pattern, describing improving published results but still below national averages, alongside current pupils achieving well and increased uptake of EBacc subjects.

How to use this as a parent: if you are comparing several local schools, the FindMySchool local hub and comparison tools are a sensible way to look at relative performance alongside admissions pressure, rather than relying on single headline grades.

Teaching priorities are described by the school as structured and curriculum-led, with an emphasis on sequencing knowledge and building over time. In the inspection evidence, the curriculum is described as ambitious, including for pupils with SEND, and subject content is set out logically to build knowledge.

There are also concrete signs of targeted GCSE preparation in the academy’s own curriculum documentation. For example, the school describes weekly masterclasses for Year 10 and Year 11 that focus on modelling exam-style questions and technique. That is a practical, “what it looks like” indicator of how the academy is trying to lift outcomes: more explicit instruction on exam performance, not just more content.

A final point worth noting is that the school’s day structure can include a Period 6 for some year groups on certain days. For students who benefit from extended learning time and structured routines, that can be helpful. For others, it can feel like a long day, particularly alongside travel time.

Where Students Go Next

As an 11–16 school, the academy’s destination focus is post-16 transition, rather than university pathways.

The most useful published destination indicator on the academy site is that 90% of students stayed in education or employment after Key Stage 4, with the school noting the referenced cohort as students who finished Year 11 in 2023. This is a practical reassurance for families who prioritise successful transition at 16, especially when paired with clear careers programming rather than generic statements.

Careers activity is also described with specific programmes and encounters, which is more useful than broad claims. The provider access and careers materials reference:

• A lunchtime careers café and impartial advice and guidance

• University of Manchester Gateways Programme

• National Careers Week and National Apprenticeship Week activity

• Encounters and workshops with a range of further education and training providers, including named local colleges and apprenticeship or training organisations in the programme plan

For parents of Year 10 and Year 11, one message is made very explicit: college applications often look at Year 10 attendance, not just Year 11, and low attendance can affect access to preferred courses. That is a direct, practical link between school routines and post-16 outcomes.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Oldham Council rather than direct application to the academy. The school signposts families to the local authority route and its own admissions policy.

For September 2026 entry, Oldham Council sets out a clear timeline:

• Applications open from 1 August 2025

• The on-time application deadline is 5pm, 31 October 2025

• Offers are released on 2 March 2026

• Appeals run from 2 March to 10 April 2026, with a published final appeal submission date of 10 April 2026

Demand for places is meaningful context here. Oldham’s published admissions statistics for the 2025/2026 secondary admissions process show Co-op Academy Failsworth with a PAN of 310 and total demand of 433, which indicates competitive entry in that cycle.

What parents should do with this information: treat the academy as potentially oversubscribed in some years, and read the admissions criteria carefully. If you are deciding between schools, it is sensible to map travel time and likely transport routes, then use FindMySchool’s map-based tools to keep your shortlist realistic.

Pastoral capacity is described in practical staffing terms. The academy states that each year group has two dedicated pastoral staff, alongside inclusion pastoral leaders, pastoral mentors, and an attendance team working with families.

Safeguarding leadership is also named in the school’s safeguarding policy materials, with a designated safeguarding lead identified at senior level and deputy DSL support.

There is also evidence of systems rather than slogans: published materials reference the use of CPOMS logging for safeguarding concerns, and a defined triage approach for first aid access through pastoral teams. These are the “nuts and bolts” that matter to parents who want clarity on how issues are handled day to day.

The extracurricular offer is unusually specific and well structured in the academy’s published timetable, which makes it easier to judge whether a child will actually use it.

Examples from the weekly schedule include:

• Top of the Bench chemistry competition (Year 9 and 10) and science breakfast revision sessions for Year 10 and 11

• Choir, rock band, extended rock band, band, and percussion ensemble

• Drama (lunchtime), plus dance and art clubs

• A strong sport and fitness spread including boys’ football, netball, badminton, bench ball, dodgeball, trampolining, rugby, and Tabata fitness

• Language enrichment such as Portuguese club, Mandarin club, and Spanish film and culture, plus a Language Leaders pathway for Year 9

This matters because it creates different “routes” for different personalities. A student who needs structure after school can be routed into sport, music ensembles, or academic clinics. A student who thrives socially can anchor themselves in performing arts or team activities. A student who is uncertain at first has multiple low-barrier lunchtime options to try before committing to after-school sessions.

The school also references community-linked sport through Oldham Athletic Community Trust sessions, which can be a motivating pathway for students who respond well to coached team sport and external role models.

The school day starts early. The academy timetable publishes an 8.20am registration for Years 7 to 9 on most days, with a schedule that varies by day and year group, including Period 6 to 4.00pm for some cohorts on certain days.

Breakfast provision is a clear practical positive: the academy offers a Breakfast Club from 7.45am to 8.10am, described as a free initiative with bagels and drinks.

Pick-up logistics are spelled out, including guidance on which car parks to use and warnings about restrictions and enforcement in the nearby sports centre car park. For families driving, it is worth reading this carefully, since it affects day-to-day stress more than many parents expect.

• Results are still catching up. The GCSE ranking and key measures point to outcomes below England averages, and Progress 8 is negative. Families prioritising consistently high exam outcomes should weigh this alongside the school’s improvement story.

• A long day for some students. Period 6 runs to 4.00pm for certain year groups on some days. That structure suits some students and can be tiring for others, particularly with longer travel time.

• Competition for Year 7 places can be real. Oldham’s published data for 2025/2026 shows demand above PAN. Treat admissions as potentially competitive and plan preferences accordingly.

• Attendance has direct post-16 consequences. The school is explicit that college applications can consider Year 10 attendance and that low attendance can limit course access. That can be a helpful reality check for families where attendance is already a challenge.

Co-op Academy Failsworth is a large 11–16 school that reads as organised, structured, and increasingly confident in its systems. The latest inspection outcome and the specificity of pastoral staffing and extracurricular programming support a picture of consistent routines and broad opportunity, even as exam outcomes remain an area to keep under close review.

Who it suits

families who want a sizeable, local, state-funded secondary with clear systems, strong pastoral visibility, and a wide activity menu that gives students multiple ways to belong and succeed. For students who benefit from routine, structured support, and after-school engagement, the environment should suit well.