Dixons Pennine Academy, Stalybridge

In its own words: "At Dixons Pennine Academy, we are united by one mission: to ensure every student thrives at school, succeeds at university or a meaningful alternative, and develops the knowledge, character and self-determination to live a life of choice, purpose and contribution. Everything we do is rooted in our core values of Work Hard, Be Responsible and Be Kind ."

In 2026, pupils at Dixons Pennine Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 38, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.4 in Tameside and 47 across England.

27% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Tameside and 47% in England.

That is up from 35.8 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.9: 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 32.2, against 42.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.3 points.

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

For September 2026 entry, 74 families put Dixons Pennine Academy as their first choice and 265 named it as one of their preferences, for 109 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Dixons Pennine Academy are West Hill School (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.2); Rayner Stephens High School (1.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 35.1); All Saints Catholic College (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 36.5); and Dixons Ashton Academy (2.2 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 37.7).

Dixons Pennine Academy's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Dixons Pennine Academy is one of 21 schools run by Dixons Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43.7 in 2024/25.

Of the 120 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 75% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 60% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

43.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 11% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 129 pupils (21.8%) received SEN support and 19 (3.2%) 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.

Dixons Pennine Academy has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 12 places, 3 pupils on roll.

Dixons Pennine Academy had 43 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Stalybridge Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.

15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Copley Academy (outside), 120 metres away.

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

In 2024/25, Dixons Pennine Academy issued 353 suspensions, 61.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Dixons Pennine Academy are Wild Bank Primary School (0.2 miles); St Paul's CofE Primary School, Stalybridge (0.3 miles); St. Peter's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.8 miles); and St Raphael's Catholic Primary School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.