School profile

Blackpool Aspire Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Blackpool, FY3 7LS

Requires improvement

Map showing Blackpool Aspire Academy

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,923 of 3,312

Worse than 88% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

Blackpool Aspire Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 5 Jun 2024

Ofsted rating
Requires improvement
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 16
Pupils799
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr John Woods
TrustFYLDE COAST ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityBlackpool
Opened01 Sept 2014
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 141132.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolBlackpoolEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.37.738.446.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.59.2%54.6%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.35.2%35.3%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.3.5%6.5%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths47.9%48.1%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4142--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census. School places come from the DfE capacity survey and do not include nursery, so unfilled places compare them with pupils outside nursery.

MeasureThis school
Pupils799
Girls431
Boys368
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.66.6%
First language not English9.8%
School places2024/25900
Unfilled places11.2%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.125
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.20
Average class size22

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
82.5%
Other White
2.8%
African
2.6%
Other Asian
2.5%
Indian
1.5%
White and Black Caribbean
1.4%
White and Black African
1.4%
Other mixed
1.3%
Other ethnic group
1.3%
White and Asian
1.1%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher14.7
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10.4
Teachers (FTE)54.2
Teaching assistants (FTE)8.66
Support staff (FTE)43.98
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2554.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2551.6
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/250
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/253

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.141
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.211
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.117
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.117
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)9

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolBlackpoolEngland
Overall absence6.6%7.6%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.22%23.5%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.1.9%3.2%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate1.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions1.3%
Permanent exclusion rate1.1%
Permanent exclusions9

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.77.3%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.69.3%
Further education38.7%
Sixth form college30.7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.16.6%
Employment4.3%
Apprenticeship3.7%
School sixth form0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Blackpool Aspire Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 mi16 plusThe Blackpool Sixth Form CollegeAcademy 16-19 converter
Unrated
0.4 miNot applicableLancashire Alternative ProvisionOther independent school
Good
0.6 miPrimaryBoundary Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimaryLayton Primary SchoolCommunity school
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimaryChrist The King Catholic AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miSecondarySt Mary's Catholic AcademyAcademy converter
Requires improvement
0.9 miSecondaryBaines SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.9 miPrimaryMoor Park Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miAll-throughUnity Academy BlackpoolAcademy sponsor led
Inadequate
1.1 miPrimaryPoulton-le-Fylde St Chad's CofE Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Blackpool Aspire Academy

What is Blackpool Aspire Academy's Ofsted rating?

Blackpool Aspire Academy is rated Requires improvement by Ofsted, last inspected on 5 Jun 2024.

How does Blackpool Aspire Academy rank in England?

Blackpool Aspire Academy ranks 2,923 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 88% of schools).

What are Blackpool Aspire Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 35.2% of pupils at Blackpool Aspire Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 37.7 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into Blackpool Aspire Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Blackpool Aspire Academy made 141 offers from 211 applications (1.5 per offer), and 117 of 117 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Blackpool Aspire Academy?

Blackpool Aspire Academy has 799 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of Blackpool Aspire Academy?

Blackpool Aspire Academy had 900 school places in 2024/25.

Does Blackpool Aspire Academy have a sixth form?

No, Blackpool Aspire Academy teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at Blackpool Aspire Academy?

At Blackpool Aspire Academy, the average class had 22 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 14.7 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Blackpool Aspire Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at Blackpool Aspire Academy missed 6.6% of sessions (England 8%), and 22% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.