Ormiston Meridian Academy, Stoke-on-Trent

Ofsted's report card from its 9 June 2026 inspection grades Ormiston Meridian Academy on 6 areas: 1 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school's personal development offer is ambitious and closely matched to its context."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Achievement across the school in external examinations is typically in line with national averages."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "The attendance and behaviour of pupils at the school reflect leaders' high expectations."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Teachers have high expectations for all their pupils."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The inclusion team has a clear understanding of the barriers that pupils may face."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders are proud of their school and enthusiastic about providing the best care and support for pupils."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders must ensure that teaching across all subject areas is delivered consistently to improve outcomes for pupils"; "Leaders should continue their work to improve behaviour for all pupils, particularly pupils with barriers, so that they meet leaders' high expectations".

In its own words: "Ormiston Meridian Academy (OMERA) approaches the promotion of fundamental British Values in line with the Government PREVENT theme of the anti-terrorist strategy CONTEST. These British Values are; democracy; individual liberty; the rule of law; mutual respect; tolerance of those with different faiths and belief. Each is defined below and placed in an academy context through the use of examples."

The school runs a breakfast club.

In 2026, pupils at Ormiston Meridian Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.6, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 41.4 in Stoke-on-Trent and 47 across England.

30% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 36% in Stoke-on-Trent and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 40.2.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.24: pupils made 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 34.1, against 45.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Health Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 150 families put Ormiston Meridian Academy as their first choice and 293 named it as one of their preferences, for 168 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 Ormiston Meridian Academy are Co-op Academy Florence MacWilliams (1 mile); St Thomas More Catholic Academy (1.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.6); Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.3); and Blythe Bridge High School (2.4 miles, Attainment 8 42.9).

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

Ormiston Meridian 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 197 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 75% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 49% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

50.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 26.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (64%) and Asian (19%).

Ormiston Meridian Academy has a resourced provision (199 places, 24 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (199 places, 199 pupils on roll) for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties.

The nearest railway station is Platform 2, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.

3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Woodpark Lane (opposite), 130 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Ormiston Meridian Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 181 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Stoke-on-Trent (280).

In 2024/25, Ormiston Meridian Academy issued 427 suspensions, 40.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Ormiston Meridian Academy are St Augustine's Catholic Academy (0.4 miles), Belgrave St Bartholomew's Academy (0.5 miles), Alexandra Junior School (0.6 miles) and Alexandra Infants' School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.