Hollinwood Academy, Oldham
Hollinwood Academy is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 in Oldham, part of New Bridge Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2018)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Hollinwood Academy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Hollinwood Academy are New Bridge School (under 0.1 miles, Outstanding); Teenage Kicks (0.8 miles, Good); Spring Brook Academy (1.3 miles, Good); and Thornycroft School (1.3 miles).
New Bridge SchoolTeenage KicksSpring Brook AcademyThornycroft School
The trust
Hollinwood Academy is one of 8 schools run by New Bridge Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 32 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 50% to a further education college.
Who goes there
46.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (80%), Mixed (8%) and Asian (7%).
Almost every pupil at Hollinwood Academy has an education, health and care plan (291 of 294 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Hollinwood Academy has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 240 places, 298 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Hollinwood (Manchester Metrolink), about 740 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Oasis Academy (outside), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Hollinwood Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Hollinwood Academy issued 36 suspensions, 12.7 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from July 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its July 2018 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
46.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Speech and language, Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 0% to 17% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 0% to 6% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 0% to 6% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Hollinwood Academy
Before and after school care
Hollinwood Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Oldham
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Hollinwood Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Hollinwood Academy is in Oldham; for families living there:
Apply to Oldham for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 10
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 9 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Oldham is 14 (the median across 129 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
105%
Over capacity
294 pupils
280 places
14 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Oldham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Oldham
Across Oldham council
Places available
4,034
Applications
3,190
Got 1st preference
75.2%
Got preferred school
95.4%
All secondary applications across Oldham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
3
SEN Support
291
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Hollinwood Academy has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 240 places, 298 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
294
Total Pupils
211
Boys
83
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
35
Teachers
8.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,306
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
12.6%
Overall absence
36.7%
Persistent absence
270
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Hollinwood Academy
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Hollinwood Academy
What are GCSE results like at Hollinwood Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Hollinwood Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 14.2. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Hollinwood Academy's Ofsted rating?
Hollinwood Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2018, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Hollinwood Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Hollinwood Academy is oversubscribed, Oldham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Hollinwood Academy?
Hollinwood Academy has around 294 pupils on roll. 47% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Hollinwood Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Hollinwood Academy has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 240 places, 298 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Hollinwood Academy?
12.6% of sessions were missed at Hollinwood Academy in 2024/25. 36.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Hollinwood Academy?
Apply through Oldham's coordinated admissions process, naming Hollinwood Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does Hollinwood Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Hollinwood Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Hollinwood Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 9 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Oldham is 14 (the median across 129 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hollinwood Academy?
Hollinwood Academy is at Roman Road, Hollinwood, Oldham, Lancashire, OL8 3PT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)