Albany Academy, Chorley

In its own words: "Albany Academy is a small school by design, which serves the communities of Chorley and North Bolton. Our principles and approach to delivering an excellent education for our students is based on the ‘Albany Way’: This is a community where everyone is valued, can make a contribution and is empowered to take control of their own destiny."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I’m very proud and privileged to be the headteacher of such a wonderful school as Albany Academy. Albany Academy is a highly successful school that combines a caring and supportive atmosphere with excellent academic outcomes for all of our pupils."

Coming up: an open evening on Saturday 31 October 2026 and an open evening on Monday 1 March 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Albany Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Lancashire and 47 across England.

35% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Lancashire and 47% in England.

That is up from 43.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.1: pupils made about 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 41.7, against 46.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 4.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 19 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 129 families put Albany Academy as their first choice and 551 named it as one of their preferences, for 142 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 20 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Albany Academy are Holy Cross Catholic High School (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 55.4); Southlands High School (1.2 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 40.4); Parklands High School (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.1); and St Michael's Church of England High School (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 60.6).

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

Albany Academy is one of 2 schools run by Albany Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 130 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 85% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 69% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

5.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 185 pupils (25.5%) received SEN support and 39 (5.4%) 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 specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Chorley Rail Station, about 1160 metres away (roughly a 15-minute walk).

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Albany School (adjacent), 70 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Albany Academy stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 234 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Albany Academy issued 160 suspensions, 22.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Albany Academy are St George's Church of England Primary School, Chorley (under 0.1 miles); Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Chorley (0.4 miles); Duke Street Primary School (0.5 miles); and Chorley St James' Church of England Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.