The Albion Academy Review 2026: A structured 11 to 16 academy with a strong extra-curricular spine

A calm, purposeful tone is a consistent theme at The Albion Academy, and it shows up in the routines, the expectations, and the way students are steered towards doing the small things well. The academy sits in the middle 35% of schools in England for GCSE outcomes (25th to 60th percentile), and it performs strongly within Salford, where it ranks 4th locally on FindMySchool’s GCSE measure.

There is a clear effort to widen participation in enrichment. Alongside clubs and trips, the school positions co-curricular engagement as part of its wider character education, and it uses rewards to sustain momentum. For families weighing up local secondaries, this reads as a school aiming for steady academic improvement, backed by consistent behaviour systems and a practical focus on preparedness for post 16 routes.

The overall feel is organised and routines-led. Students are expected to be on site by 08:25, with a structured start that includes line-ups and tutor time before lessons begin. That operational clarity matters in a large secondary, because it reduces friction and frees up attention for learning. Breakfast Club runs from 07:50, and the day ends at 15:00, with an additional hour (15:00 to 16:00) set aside for extra classes and clubs.

The academy’s stated mission centres on inclusivity, ambition, and aspirational learning, and that message is reinforced through its “Education with Character” strand. The school frames character development as a taught and experienced entitlement, including planned character days and external speakers covering topics such as online safety, consent, respect, and cultural understanding. The implication for parents is that personal development is not treated as an optional add-on; it is designed to be visible in day-to-day provision, especially through pastoral and enrichment structures.

Leadership is also clearly signposted. Mathew Rogers is the academy’s Principal, and the senior team is published openly. For families, that transparency tends to correlate with clearer lines of accountability and more consistent communication when issues arise.

The latest Ofsted inspection (23 to 24 May 2023) judged the academy Good overall, and graded all key areas as Good.

On the FindMySchool GCSE outcomes measure, The Albion Academy is ranked 2,318th in England and 4th in Salford, based on official data. This places results broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), with a comparatively stronger position locally.

Looking at headline GCSE indicators the average Attainment 8 score is 40.9. The Progress 8 score is -0.04, which suggests outcomes are close to, but slightly below, the level predicted from students’ starting points. EBacc entry and success are more mixed: 20.1% achieved grade 5 or above in the EBacc, and the EBacc average points score is 3.74.

For parents, the practical reading is this: outcomes are not in the “high performing by national measures” bracket, but the picture is stable and serviceable, and the school’s local rank suggests it compares well against nearby options in Salford. The most useful next step is to use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to line these results up against realistic alternatives within your travel radius, rather than relying on headline judgement alone.

The curriculum is described in official reporting as broad and balanced, with leaders identifying the key knowledge pupils should learn and the order in which it is taught. That sequencing point matters, because it usually signals a deliberate attempt to build learning cumulatively, rather than treating topics as disconnected units.

A recurring strength is subject knowledge among teachers and clear explanations for new material, with many teachers using assessment to identify gaps. The key caveat is consistency: in some subjects, assessment information is not used as effectively as it could be, which can leave some students struggling to connect new learning to prior knowledge. For families, that tends to translate into variable experience by subject, and it is worth asking about how departments support students who need to revisit earlier content.

Support for reading is highlighted in formal reporting, including timely identification of gaps and targeted help so pupils can access the wider curriculum more confidently. This is an important indicator in a mixed intake school, because literacy underpins success across most GCSE subjects.

Where Students Go Next

With education running to age 16, the post 16 story is about transition to college, sixth form, apprenticeships, and training routes rather than university destinations. Students benefit from regular encounters with local colleges, which helps them make more informed decisions about next steps. The implication is a practical, routes-based approach to guidance rather than a narrow focus on one destination type.

The school also links enrichment to employability language, particularly through its co-curricular framing (skills, transferability, and exposure to experiences students might not otherwise encounter). For some pupils, that sort of structured “character plus experiences” model can be the difference between drifting at 14 to 16 and having a clear plan by the end of Year 11.

The Albion Academy is a state-funded academy with no tuition fees. Year 7 applications are coordinated through the local authority process, not directly with the school. For September 2026 entry, Salford’s secondary application window opened on 01 September 2025 and closed on 31 October 2025, with offers released on 02 March 2026 for on-time applicants.

Demand is meaningful. For Year 7 entry, the Published Admission Number is 175, and the local authority reports 248 applications received by offer day (01 March 2025), with offers made out to 1.194 miles for the relevant categories that year. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place.

Oversubscription follows a standard priority sequence, including children looked after, children with exceptional medical or social needs supported by professional evidence, and then distance-based allocation. The waiting list is ranked by the same criteria rather than by time spent waiting. For families near the boundary, it is sensible to use the FindMySchool Map Search to measure your likely distance precisely and to sanity-check whether the historic last offered distance is within reach, noting that it can shift year to year.

Open events are clearly signposted. The academy states it holds an open evening annually in October, and for the September 2026 cycle it published an Open Evening on Thursday 09 October 2025. Families who cannot attend can also request a tour during or after the school day via the school’s tour booking route.

Pastoral expectations are framed around safety, attendance, and consistent support routes. Safeguarding is treated as a whole-school responsibility, with published guidance for reporting concerns and a dedicated safeguarding team. Ofsted confirmed that safeguarding arrangements were effective at the time of the most recent inspection.

The academy also publishes student-facing guidance on bullying, including practical routes for reporting concerns and clear examples of what bullying can look like, including online. That clarity matters, because pupils are more likely to report issues when the threshold and the process are explicit.

For students with special educational needs and disabilities, the SEND team and roles are listed, including an Assistant SENCO and a lead teacher for SEND. The SEND page emphasises both academic and pastoral support, signalling that the school expects students with additional needs to access the mainstream curriculum with appropriate adaptations rather than being automatically diverted away from it.

The Albion Academy uses enrichment as a central plank, not a peripheral extra. The school describes a two-week timetable with over 30 clubs, and it gives concrete examples rather than generic claims. Options highlighted include British Sign Language Club, RAF Cadets, Creative Writing Club, History Debate Club, chess, and multiple sports strands.

This matters because the best extra-curricular programmes do two jobs at once. First, they widen participation by offering entry points for different personalities, not only sport. Second, they build routine and belonging. RAF Cadets is a good example: it provides structure, identity, and opportunities that can be hard to access elsewhere, which can be particularly valuable for students who thrive with clear frameworks.

Trips are also used strategically. The school promotes a summer adventure residential to Wales, linked to co-curricular attendance and described as free for qualifying students. It also points to curriculum-linked visits such as geography fieldwork in Fleetwood and Blackpool, plus theatre trips. Separately, the Ofsted report references students valuing a Year 10 visit to the Bank of New York, which suggests careers exposure is not limited to assemblies and posters. The implication is that enrichment is used to broaden horizons and to connect classroom learning to future possibilities, which often improves motivation for students who need to see purpose.

Academic support outside lessons is also signposted. The school’s homework guidance notes that study rooms run before and after school, enabling students to work with teachers and access resources for independent study. For families without quiet space at home, or where parents are working long hours, that can be a meaningful practical advantage.

The school day runs 08:30 to 15:00, with Breakfast Club from 07:50 and an additional period for clubs and extra classes from 15:00 to 16:00. Gates close at 08:25, so punctuality expectations are unambiguous.

Wraparound care, in the strict primary sense, does not apply at this age, but the early start and the post-15:00 enrichment hour can function as useful “extended day” coverage for some families. Transport arrangements are not detailed in the same way as some local authorities’ travel pages; most families will want to sense-check bus routes and journey time in advance, particularly if considering after-school clubs.

• Admission can be distance-sensitive. In March 2025, offers were reported out to 1.194 miles for the relevant categories. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place.

• Attendance remains a live priority. Formal reporting notes that some pupils’ attendance is lower than it should be, and leaders were directed to improve this. Families should expect firm follow-up and an emphasis on routine.

• Subject experience may vary. Most teaching is described as clear and well assessed, but some subjects were identified where assessment checks were not as timely or effective, which can affect how smoothly learning builds over time.

• Key Stage 4 personal development needs coherence. Leaders were advised to strengthen how personal development is structured for older pupils, so parents may want to ask what has changed since 2023 for Years 10 and 11.

The Albion Academy reads as a well-organised Salford secondary that is serious about routines, behaviour, and widening access to enrichment. Results sit broadly in line with the middle of the England distribution on FindMySchool’s GCSE measure, but the academy compares well locally, and the enrichment model is unusually specific and structured for a mainstream 11 to 16 school.

It suits families who want a clear framework, visible expectations around conduct and punctuality, and a school that uses clubs, trips, and character education to keep students engaged through Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. The biggest constraint is admissions, particularly for those living further away, where distance can become the deciding factor.