Oakwood Academy, Eccles
Oakwood Academy is a special school for pupils aged 9 to 19 in Eccles, part of Kings Academy Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2017)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Oakwood Academy in detail
Oakwood Academy in its own words
Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 9 March 2027 at 3.30pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Salford
Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Oakwood Academy are Chatsworth High School and Community College (under 0.1 miles, Outstanding); Springwood Primary School (0.8 miles); Chatsworth Futures Limited (1.2 miles, Good); and New Park Academy (1.2 miles, Good).
Chatsworth High School and Community CollegeSpringwood Primary SchoolChatsworth Futures LimitedNew Park Academy
The trust
Oakwood Academy is one of 6 schools run by Kings Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 50 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 86% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 12% to a further education college.
Who goes there
58.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 10.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (76%) and Mixed (7%).
Almost every pupil at Oakwood Academy has an education, health and care plan (344 of 351 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Oakwood Academy provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Eccles Rail Station, about 1010 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Eccles Sixth Form College (outside), 90 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Oakwood Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from November 2017, 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 November 2017 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
58.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SpLD, Vision, Speech and language +4
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Oakwood Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Oakwood Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Oakwood Academy is in Salford; for families living there:
- Salford's school travel policy: Salford home to school transport policy 2026 (Adobe PDF format, 156kb)
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Salford is 19.5 (the median across 136 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
124%
Over capacity
351 pupils
284 places
67 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Eccles
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Eccles
Across Salford council
Places available
2,774
Applications
2,789
Got 1st preference
85.9%
Got preferred school
96.4%
All secondary applications across Salford council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
7
SEN Support
344
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Oakwood Academy provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
351
Total Pupils
239
Boys
112
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
24
Teachers
14.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,816
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.0%
Overall absence
24.3%
Persistent absence
267
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
Oakwood Academy
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Oakwood Academy
What are GCSE results like at Oakwood Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Oakwood Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 2.6. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Oakwood Academy's Ofsted rating?
Oakwood Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2017, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Oakwood Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Oakwood Academy is oversubscribed, Salford allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Oakwood Academy?
Oakwood Academy has around 351 pupils on roll. 58% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Oakwood Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Oakwood Academy provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Oakwood Academy?
9% of sessions were missed at Oakwood Academy in 2024/25. 24.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Oakwood Academy?
Apply through Salford's coordinated admissions process, naming Oakwood 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.
How many road collisions happen near Oakwood Academy?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Salford is 19.5 (the median across 136 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Oakwood Academy?
Oakwood Academy is at Chatsworth Road, Ellesmere Park, Eccles, Lancashire, M30 9DY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)