Highfield Leadership Academy
| Type | Secondary / Academy sponsor led |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Highfield Road Blackpool Lancashire FY4 3JZ |
| Phone | 01253965750 |
| Reference Number | 142469 |
Highfield Leadership Academy is currently rated as requiring improvement, reflecting ongoing challenges in delivering a consistent quality of education. While there are notable strengths, particularly in personal development and the support offered by staff, areas such as curriculum delivery and attendance require significant attention. The school has taken steps to enhance its curriculum, supported by the trust, yet variability across subjects and year groups hinders overall pupil achievement. Concerns have also been raised about the rising absence rates, which directly impact the learning and personal growth opportunities for many students.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 681 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 49.93%
Girls: 50.07% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 53% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 11.5% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 24.4 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 87 | 90 | 177 |
| 8 | 70 | 87 | 157 |
| 9 | 76 | 65 | 141 |
| 10 | 50 | 50 | 100 |
| 11 | 57 | 49 | 106 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 80.2% |
| White, Other | 3.8% |
| Unclassified | 2.3% |
| Asian, Other | 2.3% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.9% |
| African | 1.3% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.3% |
| Pakistani | 1% |
| White & Asian | 0.9% |
| Indian | 0.7% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.4% |
| Irish | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Requires Improvement |
| > Quality of education | Requires Improvement |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Requires Improvement |
| > Personal Development | Good |
| > Leadership & Management | Requires Improvement |
| Last Report Date | 12 Mar 2024 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 22 Oct 2025 | Monitoring visit |
| 12 Mar 2024 | School inspection: |
| 13 Jul 2021 | Full inspection: |
| 16 Mar 2021 | Monitoring visit |
| 29 Sep 2020 | Monitoring visit |
| 12 Feb 2020 | Monitoring visit |
| 18 Jun 2019 | Monitoring visit |
| 11 Dec 2018 | Full inspection: |
Strengths
- Pupils feel supported by staff and have a voice through the school council.
- The school offers a range of extracurricular clubs and leadership opportunities.
- There is a strong focus on personal development, including a comprehensive careers programme.
- Staff feel valued and supported, with workload considerations in mind.
Areas for Improvement
- Attendance rates have increased, with many pupils persistently absent.
- Curriculum implementation is inconsistent across subjects and year groups.
- Assessment strategies are not effectively used to address gaps in pupils' learning.
- Key stage 4 pupils with reading difficulties do not receive adequate support.
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) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 19.6% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 28% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
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:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 105 | 39 |
| Third Preference | 62 | 5 |
| From another Local Authority | 16 | 9 |
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 |
|
Hawes Side Academy
Johnsville Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 3LN |
0.26 miles |
|
Our Lady of The Assumption Catholic Primary School, Blackpool
Common Edge Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 5DF |
0.37 miles |
|
Marton Primary Academy and Nursery
Whernside, Off Highfield Road, Marton, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 5LY |
0.48 miles |
|
Roseacre Primary Academy
Stonycroft Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 2PF |
0.64 miles |
|
Baines' Endowed Church of England Primary Academy
Penrose Avenue, Marton, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 4DJ |
0.88 miles |
|
St Cuthbert's Catholic Academy
Lightwood Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 2AU |
0.89 miles |
|
Blackpool St Nicholas CofE Primary School
School Road, Marton Moss, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 5DS |
0.89 miles |
|
Waterloo Primary Academy
Waterloo Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 3AG |
0.93 miles |
|
Thames Primary Academy
Severn Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 1EE |
0.93 miles |
|
St John Vianney's Catholic Primary School, Blackpool
Glastonbury Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 6RD |
1.18 miles |
|
Blackpool Gateway Academy
Seymour Road, Blackpool, FY1 6JH |
1.3 miles |
|
Mereside Primary Academy
Langdale Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 4RR |
1.36 miles |
|
Stanley Primary School
Wordsworth Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 9UT |
1.42 miles |
|
BFC School
Seasiders Way, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 6JJ |
1.45 miles |
|
Revoe Learning Academy
Grasmere Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 5HP |
1.47 miles |
|
Lytham St Annes Mayfield Primary School
St Leonard's Road East, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, FY8 2HQ |
1.96 miles |
|
Heyhouses Endowed Church of England Primary School
Clarendon Road North, St Anne's, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, FY8 3EE |
2.06 miles |
|
St Kentigern's Catholic Primary School
Newton Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 8BT |
2.15 miles |
|
Tower Learning Centre Independent School
316 Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 3QE |
2.18 miles |
|
Blackpool St John's Church of England Primary School
Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 3NX |
2.2 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Spen Brook School
(former Hawes Side Library), Hawes Side Lane, Blackpool, FY4 5AJ |
0.48 miles |
|
Armfield Academy
488 Lytham Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 1TL |
0.77 miles |
|
South Shore Academy
St Annes Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 2AR |
0.83 miles |
|
St George's School A Church of England Academy
Cherry Tree Road, Marton, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 4PH |
0.9 miles |
|
The Maple School
Langdale Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 4RR |
1.22 miles |
|
Park Community Academy
158 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 9HF |
1.66 miles |
|
Woodlands School
Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 9HF |
1.69 miles |
|
Blackpool Skills Academy
Stanley House, Stanley Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 4QL |
1.96 miles |
|
Poplar House School
24-26 Lytham St Annes Road East, Lytham St Annes, FY8 1UR |
2.31 miles |
|
Red Rose School
28-30 North Promenade, St Annes on Sea, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, FY8 2NQ |
2.49 miles |
|
St Mary's Catholic Academy
St Walburga's Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7EQ |
2.72 miles |
|
St Anne's College Grammar School
293 Clifton Drive South, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, FY8 1HN |
2.73 miles |
|
Lytham St Annes High School
Albany Road, Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire, FY8 4GW |
3.09 miles |
|
AKS Lytham
Clifton Drive South, Lytham St Annes, FY8 1DT |
3.34 miles |
|
Unity Academy Blackpool
Warbreck Hill Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY2 0TS |
3.35 miles |
|
Lancashire Alternative Provision
30 Mowbray Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7UN |
3.36 miles |
|
Blackpool Aspire Academy
Blackpool Old Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7LS |
3.44 miles |
|
Highfurlong School
Blackpool Old Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7LS |
3.45 miles |
|
Norman House Independent School
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3.58 miles |
|
Baines School
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3.65 miles |