Co-op Academy Walkden Review 2026: Large 11–16 Academy with Strong Pastoral Foundations and a Clear Improvement Story

Co-op Academy Walkden is a large, mixed secondary academy for students aged 11 to 16, serving Walkden and surrounding neighbourhoods in Greater Manchester. With around 1,500 students on roll and a published capacity of 1,500, it operates at genuine scale, which shapes everything from curriculum breadth to extracurricular range.

Leadership is stable. The Principal, Mr Matt Hacker, has been in post since 29 August 2019, which matters because it means the current culture and systems are not new experiments, they have had time to bed in.

Quality is verified. The most recent Ofsted graded inspection (23 and 24 May 2023) judged the academy to be Good overall, with Good grades in quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

For families, the key headline is fit. This is a mainstream, community-facing 11–16 school with an inclusive ethos, a structured school day, a wide options model at Key Stage 4, and distinctive enrichment strands such as a Combined Cadet Force and Duke of Edinburgh activity through that route.

The academy presents itself as a values-led community school, backed by formal external evidence. Students are encouraged to be themselves and relationships are described as positive and respectful, with staff getting to know students and families well. The atmosphere described in the most recent inspection is calm in lessons and orderly between lessons, with a clear stance that bullying and discrimination are addressed promptly.

Scale can be a double-edged sword. On the plus side, large year groups and a big staff team typically allow broader subject staffing, wider option blocks, and more activity choice. The trade-off is that families often rely more on systems and consistency than on the feel of a very small-school setting. Here, the evidence points to systems that are increasingly coherent, including a newer behaviour approach that has reduced poor behaviour incidents, and a strong staffing presence around site at key times.

The academy is part of the Co-op Academies Trust, having joined in December 2018. Trust membership is relevant in two ways. First, it can bring standardised expectations, curriculum support, and staff networks. Second, it can accelerate improvement by providing challenge and capacity. The most recent inspection describes significant improvement since joining the trust, alongside a clear understanding of the next steps.

A notable aspect of the academy’s identity is that it is not positioned purely as a results-only environment. Careers education, information, advice and guidance is presented as a core pillar from Year 7 to Year 11, with a structured programme including workshops, careers events, employer encounters, and work experience. This tends to suit families who want post-16 pathways to be actively planned rather than left until late Year 11.

Co-op Academy Walkden is ranked 2,363rd in England and 50th in Manchester for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data). This places performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), which is best understood as broadly typical in England terms rather than either an elite-outcomes profile or a very low-performing outlier.

At GCSE level, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 44.4. Progress 8 sits at -0.47, which indicates students make less progress, on average, than similar students nationally from the same starting points.

EBacc indicators are mixed. The average EBacc points score is 3.78, and 12.2% of pupils achieve grade 5 or above in the EBacc measure.

For parents, the practical implication is that this is not currently a school where the published figures suggest high academic value-added across the cohort. The strongest use of the published results is therefore not to expect a uniform top-end academic pipeline, but to ask sharper questions about which subjects are strongest, how lower prior attainers are supported, and what is being done to close gaps through attendance, literacy, and consistent classroom practice.

The curriculum is described as ambitious, with intentional sequencing of knowledge so that learning builds over time, supported by routine recap, targeted questioning, and clear checks for misconceptions. This kind of structured approach tends to work well in large schools, because it provides consistency across many classes and staff, and it helps students who benefit from predictable lesson routines.

One practical curriculum feature is that students have the opportunity to study two modern foreign languages at Key Stage 3, which is not universal in the sector. This can be a good marker of curriculum breadth in Years 7 to 9, and it often supports stronger language uptake later for students who choose to continue.

Key Stage 4 is framed as wide and varied, spanning academic and vocational routes. For many families, this is where an 11–16 school either opens doors or narrows them. A broad option model can suit students whose strengths do not sit neatly in a purely academic suite, provided quality and expectations remain high across all pathways. The most recent inspection highlights variability in a small number of subjects where agreed teaching methods are not implemented consistently. The practical implication is that parents should ask how subject teams are supported, how teaching consistency is checked, and how quickly weaker delivery is addressed.

Reading is positioned as a cross-school priority, including authentic texts within subjects, targeted support for students with gaps, and library-linked activities such as reading ambassador roles and reading events. In a school of this size, a coherent literacy strategy is one of the most important levers for improving outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged students and those with additional needs.

As an 11–16 school with no sixth form, the core question for families is transition at 16. The academy describes careers education as a structured programme delivered with a mix of internal expertise and external partners, including events, employer engagement, and work experience.

What this usually looks like in practice is that students are guided towards a set of next-step routes, typically: sixth form colleges, further education colleges, apprenticeships, and training routes. The most recent inspection states that students are well prepared for their next steps and receive helpful careers advice and guidance from Year 7 through to Year 11.

Because published destination percentages are not available here, families should treat the next-steps question as one for direct enquiry. Ask what proportion of Year 11 leavers typically progress to sixth form, to college-based vocational study, or to apprenticeships; also ask what local partner providers are most common, and how the academy supports applications, interviews, and enrolment.

Admissions for Year 7 entry are coordinated through the local authority rather than directly through the academy, and there is no requirement for a supplementary form.

For September 2026 entry, the academy publishes a clear timeline: applications open on 1 September 2025, close on 31 October 2025, with offers released on 2 March 2026. Given today’s date (24 January 2026), the application window for 2026 entry has already closed, and families should focus on preparing for offer day and any appeals timeline once confirmed.

The academy also publishes an open evening date (Thursday 25 September 2025) for prospective families, which indicates open events typically cluster in late September. If you are looking ahead to a later entry year, it is reasonable to expect a similar timing pattern, but families should always check the academy’s admissions page for the current calendar and booking arrangements.

A practical planning tip is to use the FindMySchool Map Search tool to understand travel time from your home at peak hours, including bus routes and walking options, then sense-check that against the school day timings and typical after-school enrichment finish times.

The most recent inspection describes a culture where students feel safe and happy, with leaders setting high expectations and maintaining a kind and considerate community. It also highlights that bullying is not tolerated and that concerns are handled seriously, which is an important signal for parents weighing day-to-day experience as much as formal outcomes.

Safeguarding is a key strength. The same report states that safeguarding arrangements are effective, supported by regular staff training, vigilance to risks including exploitation and radicalisation, and strong partnership working with external services when students need additional support.

Inclusion is more than a broad claim here. The school has a specially resourced provision for students with special educational needs and disabilities, funded for specific learning difficulties and moderate learning difficulties, and it is designed for up to 35 students aged 11 to 16. The inspection evidence emphasises raised expectations for students with SEND and describes these students following the same curriculum as peers, with adaptations informed by early identification and clear information about needs.

The improvement priorities are also clear. Attendance is identified as a continuing challenge for a significant minority, including disadvantaged students and those with SEND. For parents, this matters because attendance is tightly linked to progress and outcomes. It is worth asking what the academy’s current attendance strategy is, what support is offered for anxious or disengaged students, and how family engagement works when absence becomes persistent.

A school’s enrichment offer is often where large academies can genuinely stand out, because critical mass makes specialist groups viable. Co-op Academy Walkden has several distinctive strands that go beyond generic club lists.

The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is the most unusual feature in a mainstream 11–16 academy context. The programme is described as sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Education, and activities include leadership, first aid, drill, field craft, expeditions, and summer camps. For some students, CCF provides structure, confidence-building, and an alternative route to achievement outside the classroom, particularly when paired with Duke of Edinburgh activity through the contingent.

Music is also presented with specific named opportunities. The academy has achieved Music Mark recognition and lists groups such as Rock School, Pop Choir, Ukulele Club, and Academy Band, alongside peripatetic instrument tuition. The implication for families is that music can be pursued as a serious co-curricular commitment rather than an occasional add-on.

STEM enrichment appears in the academy’s communications, including a STEM Club framed around hands-on experiments and practical exploration. For students who enjoy making and testing ideas, this kind of club can build confidence and curiosity, even when examined science is not yet a personal strength.

Facilities matter because they shape what is possible after school and at weekends. The academy advertises community hire options that include a large performance space, a modern sports hall, and 3G pitches available outside the school day. For families, this is a useful proxy for on-site capacity for sport and performance activity at scale.

The academy publishes a structured school day. Students are expected to arrive from 8.20am, lessons run from 8.30am to 3.00pm, and students are expected to leave site by 4.00pm unless attending an extracurricular activity with staff.

Because this is an 11–16 school without boarding, day-to-day logistics usually come down to commute reliability and after-school supervision. Parents should consider how the 3.00pm finish aligns with work patterns, and what enrichment or supervised study options are available on the days a student may stay later. Where transport is a concern, check the academy’s published bus information and trial the route at the relevant time of day.

• Progress 8 below average. A Progress 8 figure of -0.47 suggests students, on average, make less progress than similar students nationally. Families should ask which interventions are strongest, how teaching consistency is assured, and how outcomes vary by subject and prior attainment.

• Attendance remains a key improvement priority. Persistent absence is identified as affecting a significant minority, including disadvantaged students and those with SEND. If your child is anxious about school or has a history of absence, ask detailed questions about early support, pastoral response, and reintegration.

• Variability in a small number of subjects. The inspection evidence points to inconsistency where agreed teaching approaches are not always implemented well. Parents may want to probe how subject leaders monitor quality, how staff training works, and how quickly gaps are closed.

• No sixth form on site. Transition planning at 16 matters more here than at a school with an internal sixth form. Ask how Year 11 pathways are guided, and what the academy’s most common post-16 destinations are.

Co-op Academy Walkden is a large 11–16 academy with a verified Good Ofsted judgement, stable leadership, and a clear emphasis on inclusion, safeguarding, and structured personal development. Academic outcomes sit broadly in line with the middle of the England distribution, while Progress 8 indicates a need for stronger student progress across the cohort. The distinctive enrichment offer, particularly the Combined Cadet Force and established music groups, adds real character beyond the timetable. Best suited to families seeking a mainstream local secondary with a calm culture, strong safeguarding, and broad opportunities, and who value structured support for next steps at 16.