Academy@Worden, Leyland

From the headteacher's welcome: "At Academy@Worden we create a calm, caring atmosphere where clear routines for attendance, punctuality, uniform and behaviour help everyone feel safe and ready to learn. Our curriculum is thoughtfully sequenced so pupils deepen subject knowledge, develop strong study habits and gain the exam skills they need to succeed."

In 2026, pupils at Academy@Worden averaged an Attainment 8 score of 42.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Lancashire and 47 across England.

31% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Lancashire and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 43.2.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.25: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 33.6, against 46.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Spanish.

For September 2026 entry, 121 families put Academy@Worden as their first choice and 425 named it as one of their preferences, for 174 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Academy@Worden are Wellfield Academy (0.5 miles, Attainment 8 34.8); St Mary's Catholic High School (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.8); Balshaw's Church of England High School (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 53); and Lostock Hall Academy (2.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.2).

Academy@Worden's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

68 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Academy@Worden (as of September 2025): 75% would recommend the school, 79% say their child is happy there and 60% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (88%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (60%).

Of the 98 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 77% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 72% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

4.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 76 pupils (11.5%) received SEN support and 10 (1.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.

The nearest railway station is Leyland Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Daisy Bank Close (by), 300 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 216 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Academy@Worden issued 41 suspensions, 6.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 9 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Academy@Worden are Northbrook Primary Academy (0.4 miles), St Anne's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles), Seven Stars Primary School (0.5 miles) and Leyland St Andrew's Church of England Infant School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.