Ormiston Horizon Academy, Stoke on Trent

In its own words: "At OHA, we provide an inspirational and ambitious learning journey to enable all our students to achieve beyond their Horizons. Our core values are based upon Resilience, Respect and Responsibility . We are firmly dedicated to creating an inclusive environment where your child can feel safe, learn and achieve."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Ormiston Horizon Academy is a special place for our students, staff and wider community. We continuously strive to provide the highest possible quality of education for the young people we work with. Our students are an exceptional group of talented individuals who thrive on the range of experiences that they are offered at OHA."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include dance, drama and homework club.

In 2026, pupils at Ormiston Horizon Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 34.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 41.4 in Stoke-on-Trent and 47 across England.

28% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 36% in Stoke-on-Trent and 47% in England.

That is down from 37.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -1.12: 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 28.4, against 38.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Social Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 212 families put Ormiston Horizon Academy as their first choice and 377 named it as one of their preferences, for 208 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 12 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Ormiston Horizon Academy are St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy (0.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.3); Haywood Academy (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 35.4); Co-op Academy Stoke-On-Trent (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.2); and Kidsgrove Secondary School (2.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 37.1).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Ormiston Horizon Academy.

Ormiston Horizon Academy is one of 44 schools run by Ormiston Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41 in 2024/25.

Of the 211 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 74% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 66% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 6% into work.

38.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 9.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 222 pupils (21.6%) received SEN support and 22 (2.1%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Kidsgrove Rail Station, about 2.2 miles away in a straight line.

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Chell Social Club (opposite), 100 metres away.

In 2024/25, Ormiston Horizon Academy issued 618 suspensions, 60.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 6 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Ormiston Horizon Academy are Whitfield Valley Primary Academy (0.4 miles); Mill Hill Primary Academy (0.7 miles); St Joseph's Catholic Academy, Goldenhill (0.8 miles); and Burnwood Primary Academy (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.