Essa Academy
| Type | Secondary / Academy sponsor led |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Address | Lever Edge Lane Bolton Greater Manchester BL3 3HH |
| Phone | 01204333222 |
| Reference Number | 135770 |
Essa Academy has been performing well, demonstrating a strong standard across various domains, including achievement, attendance, behavior, curriculum, and inclusion. The school has effectively narrowed the achievement gap for disadvantaged pupils and provided robust support for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The commitment to high-quality teaching and a positive school environment has fostered strong academic outcomes and personal development for all students. The school provides a caring and supportive atmosphere, where leaders are committed to improving pupils’ life chances. With their proactive approach, attendance rates have improved significantly, and pupils exhibit excellent behavior. The leadership team, alongside governors, has built a culture of high expectations and continuous improvement following changes in governance, having joined the Northern Education Trust in June 2024. Overall, Essa Academy is well-positioned to continue its development and effectively support its diverse student body.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1077 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 54.97%
Girls: 45.03% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 44.8% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 59.9% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 25.5 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 121 | 89 | 210 |
| 8 | 116 | 112 | 228 |
| 9 | 131 | 92 | 223 |
| 10 | 112 | 95 | 207 |
| 11 | 112 | 97 | 209 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Pakistani | 38.7% |
| Unclassified | 22.9% |
| Indian | 9.7% |
| African | 6.6% |
| White, British | 4.7% |
| White, Other | 3.4% |
| Asian, Other | 2.8% |
| White & Asian | 1.6% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.4% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.7% |
| Irish | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Strong standard |
| > Leadership & Governance | Strong standard |
| > Personal Development & Wellbeing | Strong standard |
| > Achievement | Strong standard |
| > Attendance & Behaviour | Strong standard |
| > Curriculum & Teaching | Strong standard |
| > Inclusion | Strong standard |
| Last Report Date | 20 Jan 2026 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 20 Jan 2026 | School inspection |
| 19 Oct 2021 | School inspection |
| 15 May 2018 | Full inspection |
| 15 Jan 2014 | Full inspection |
| 22 Jun 2011 | Full inspection |
| 11 May 2010 | Monitoring visit |
Strengths
- High levels of pupil achievement across a range of subjects
- Effective support and guidance for pupils with SEND
- Strong foundations in communication, reading, writing, and mathematics
- Consistent positive behavior among pupils
- Proactive approach to improving attendance
- Well-designed curriculum with logical progression
- Strong leadership with a commitment to continuous improvement
- Ambitious personal development program tailored to pupil needs
- Excellent relationships between pupils and staff
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 53 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 54% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 72% |
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 223 | 27 |
| Third Preference | 165 | 5 |
| From another Local Authority | 4 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
Essa Primary Academy
Lever Edge Lane, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 3HH |
0.03 miles |
|
St Bede Academy
Morris Green Lane, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 3LJ |
0.29 miles |
|
Lever Edge Primary Academy
Lever Edge Lane, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 3HP |
0.37 miles |
|
The Olive Tree Primary School Bolton
Adelaide Street, Daubhill, Adelaide House, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 3NY |
0.57 miles |
|
St William of York Catholic Primary School
Nugent Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 3DE |
0.63 miles |
|
Heathfield Primary School
Henniker Road, Heathfield Primary School, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 3TP |
0.67 miles |
|
Brandwood Primary School
Brandwood Street, Brandwood Street, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 4BG |
0.68 miles |
|
Sunning Hill Primary School
Goldsmith Street, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 6TR |
0.68 miles |
|
Bishop Bridgeman CofE Primary School
Rupert Street, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 6PY |
0.82 miles |
|
Clarendon Primary School
Recreation Street, Clarendon Primary School, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 6SN |
0.85 miles |
|
St Ethelbert's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Melbourne Road, Deane, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 5RL |
0.9 miles |
|
The Orchards Nursery School
Lower Orchards, Bolton, BL4 0RA |
0.91 miles |
|
Green Fold School
Highfield Road, Farnworth, Bolton, Lancashire, BL4 0NS |
0.91 miles |
|
Cherry Tree Primary School
Highfield Road, Farnworth, Bolton, Lancashire, BL4 0NS |
0.91 miles |
|
Ss Simon & Jude CofE Primary School, Bolton
Newport Road, Great Lever, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 2DT |
1 miles |
|
Haslam Park Primary School
Wigan Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 5QL |
1.03 miles |
|
St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School a Voluntary Academy
Pilkington Street, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 6HP |
1.14 miles |
|
St Mary's CofE Primary School, Deane
Edale Road, Deane, St Mary's CE Primary School, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 4QP |
1.15 miles |
|
St Andrew's CofE Primary School, Over Hulton
Crescent Avenue, Over Hulton, Bolton, Lancashire, BL5 1EN |
1.17 miles |
|
Highfield Primary School
Marsh Lane, Farnworth, Bolton, Lancashire, BL4 0AP |
1.22 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Thomasson Memorial School
Lever Edge Lane, Bolton, BL3 3LA |
0.06 miles |
|
Raise Education and Wellbeing School
The Quest, Brownlow Way, Bolton, BL1 3UB |
0.21 miles |
|
King's Leadership Academy Bolton
Freshfield Avenue, Bolton, BL3 3HL |
0.28 miles |
|
Bolton Muslim Girls School
Swan Lane, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL3 6TQ |
0.71 miles |
|
Al Jamiah Al Islamiyyah
Willows Lane, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 4HE |
0.88 miles |
|
Lord's School
Brooklyn, Green Lane, Bolton, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 2EF |
0.99 miles |
|
Mount St Joseph RC High School a Voluntary Academy
Greenland Road, Bolton, BL4 0HT |
1 miles |
|
Bolton Islamic Girls School
Weston House, Weston Street, Bolton, BL3 2AW |
1.11 miles |
|
Bolton College
Deane Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 5BG |
1.2 miles |
|
University Collegiate School
85 Deane Road, The Stoller Building, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL3 5AG |
1.2 miles |
|
Bolton Sixth Form College
Town Centre Campus, Deane Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 5BU |
1.37 miles |
|
Ladybridge High School
New York, Junction Road, Deane, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 4NG |
1.37 miles |
|
St James's Church of England High School
Lucas Road, Farnworth, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL4 9RU |
1.4 miles |
|
Rumworth School
Armadale Road, Ladybridge, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 4TP |
1.41 miles |
|
Harper Green School
Harper Green Road, Farnworth, Bolton, Lancashire, BL4 0DH |
1.46 miles |
|
EdStart Schools Bolton
67 Manchester Road, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL2 1ES |
1.51 miles |
|
Bolton School Girls' Division
Chorley New Road, Bolton, BL1 4PB |
1.65 miles |
|
Bolton School Boys' Division
Chorley New Road, Bolton, BL1 4PA |
1.65 miles |
|
Star Salford Academy
124 Longshaw Drive, Worsley, Greater Manchester, M28 0BB |
2.32 miles |
|
Eden Boys' School, Bolton
Wolfenden Street, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 3QE |
2.54 miles |