Accrington Academy, Accrington

In 2026, pupils at Accrington Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 39.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Lancashire and 47 across England.

37% 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 39.4.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.62: pupils made well 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 34, against 43.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Spanish.

For September 2026 entry, 165 families put Accrington Academy as their first choice and 500 named it as one of their preferences, for 199 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 7 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Accrington Academy are Accrington St Christopher's Church of England High School (0.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.5); Mount Carmel Roman Catholic High School, Hyndburn (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.5); Rhyddings (1.3 miles, Attainment 8 33.9); and The Hollins (1.8 miles, Attainment 8 41.9).

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

Accrington Academy is one of 98 schools run by United Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49 in 2024/25.

39 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Accrington Academy (as of September 2025): 74% would recommend the school, 77% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (90%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).

Of the 188 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 84% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 77% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 57 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 53% went on to university or other higher education, 7% to apprenticeships and 21% into work. 9% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

42% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 109 pupils (11.4%) received SEN support and 25 (2.6%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Accrington Rail Station, about 930 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).

15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ribblesdale Avenue (opposite), 170 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 458 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, Accrington Academy issued 214 suspensions, 21.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 8 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Accrington Academy are Accrington St Mary Magdalen's Church of England Primary School (0.3 miles), Accrington Hyndburn Park Primary School (0.5 miles), St Nicholas Church of England Primary School (0.5 miles) and Accrington St John with St Augustine Church of England Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.