Old Hall Drive Academy

Old Hall Drive Academy is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating across all inspected areas, including outstanding early years provision. The school has established an ambitious curriculum that effectively meets the needs of its pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The supportive environment and high expectations foster a strong sense of community, with pupils feeling valued and achieving well academically. The school places emphasis on personal development, with numerous opportunities for pupils to explore their interests and develop into successful citizens.

Strengths

• Strong support for pupils with SEND to ensure effective learning.
• Established an ambitious curriculum aligned with community needs.
• Outstanding early years provision fostering independence and confidence.
• High levels of pupil engagement and enthusiasm for learning.
• Positive and supportive peer interactions among students.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum delivery varies in effectiveness due to new subject leadership.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Old Hall Drive Academy attended 93.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 17.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.9% of pupils at Old Hall Drive Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Old Hall Drive Academy had 19.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 4.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 14.6% of pupils at Old Hall Drive Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Old Hall Drive Academy received £7,469 and spent £7,281 for each of its 462 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £423,000 (£917 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of Wise Owl Trust, income was £7,712 and spending £7,438 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Manchester · Manchester local authority: places and applications

Old Hall Drive Academy is part of Wise Owl Trust, which runs 5 schools. The nearest others:

• Seymour Road Academy Manchester
• Park View Community Primary Academy Manchester
• Briscoe Lane Academy Manchester
• Peel Hall Primary Academy Manchester

What is Old Hall Drive Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Old Hall Drive Academy is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was Old Hall Drive Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Old Hall Drive Academy was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does Old Hall Drive Academy have?

Old Hall Drive Academy has 458 pupils on roll.

What age range does Old Hall Drive Academy cover?

Old Hall Drive Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Old Hall Drive Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Old Hall Drive Academy?

Old Hall Drive Academy is at Old Hall Drive, Gorton, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M18 7FU.