Oulton Academy

Oulton Academy has shown exemplary performance in its inaugural inspection, achieving an overall effectiveness rating of outstanding. The school fosters a vibrant and positive learning environment where pupils feel both safe and happy, thanks to high expectations and a strong emphasis on communication skills. The ambitious curriculum and meticulous planning ensure that pupils are well-equipped for their future educational transitions, leading to commendable achievements in examinations. However, while the academic facet is strong, the school acknowledges a need to improve attendance, particularly addressing a notable level of persistent absence among some pupils.

Strengths

• Exceptional communication skills development through a relentless focus on oracy.
• An ambitious curriculum that is well-structured and progressive.
• High-quality teaching that engages pupils swiftly in their learning.
• Strong support systems for pupils with special educational needs.
• Vibrant enrichment opportunities that enhance the educational experience.
• Effective leadership and management fostering a strong culture and community involvement.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils do not attend school often enough, with a notable level of persistent absence.

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 Oulton Academy attended 88.0% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 33.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 17.3% of pupils at Oulton Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were 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 Oulton Academy had 18.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 21.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 23.9% of pupils at Oulton Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Oulton Academy received £7,859 and spent £8,458 for each of its 1,097 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £525,000 (£479 per pupil).

Across all 8 schools of Carlton Academy Trust, income was £10,469 and spending £10,312 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 Leeds · Leeds local authority: places and applications

Oulton Academy is part of Carlton Academy Trust, which runs 8 schools. The nearest others:

• Carlton Bolling Bradford
• Marshfield Primary Bradford
• Thorpe Primary Bradford
• Carlton Mills Bradford
• High Park School Bradford
• Beechcliffe Special School Keighley
• Carlton Keighley Keighley

What is Oulton Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Oulton Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Oulton Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Oulton Academy was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Oulton Academy have?

Oulton Academy has 1,132 pupils on roll.

What age range does Oulton Academy cover?

Oulton Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Oulton Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.4, and 56% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Oulton Academy?

Oulton Academy is at Pennington Lane, Oulton, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS26 8EX.