Rochdale Islamic Academy, Rochdale
Rochdale Islamic Academy is an independent school for girls aged 11 to 16 in Rochdale. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2024. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Rochdale Islamic Academy in detail
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Rochdale Islamic Academy can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Rochdale Islamic Academy are Rochdale Islamic Academy (under 0.1 miles, Good); Darul Madinah Rochdale Ltd (0.2 miles); Darul Madinah Rochdale Ltd (0.2 miles); and Beech House School (1.3 miles).
Rochdale Islamic AcademyDarul Madinah Rochdale LtdDarul Madinah Rochdale LtdBeech House School
Who goes there
In 2026, 0 pupils (0%) received SEN support and 1 (1.3%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Rochdale Interchange (Manchester Metrolink), about 1000 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
18 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fieldhouse Road (near), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Rochdale Islamic Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 6 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Did not meet the independent school standards in Part 1 (quality of education) and Part 8 (leadership and management).
- Part 1: quality of educationNot met
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementNot met
Progress-monitoring inspection, 21 April 2026: The school did not meet all the standards Ofsted checked.
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school has made impressive strides in improving how it teaches and supports pupils to learn. Teachers now have clear guidance on what to teach and how to teach it well, and the school is very good at identifying which pupils need extra help and providing targeted support so they don't fall behind. Pupils feel safe at school because staff build strong, positive relationships with them.
Key Strengths
- Curriculum is now comprehensive and carefully designed to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs
- Teaching has improved significantly with staff receiving coaching and mentoring to enhance their practice
- School effectively identifies and supports pupils with additional needs through tailored interventions
- Assessment systems now used effectively to plan teaching and help pupils progress
- Safeguarding arrangements are effective with clear policies and well-trained staff
Areas for Improvement
- School is overly reliant on external support and lacks independent capacity to sustain improvements
- Leadership team is new and still in early stages, creating fragility in the management structure
- School needs to build its own expertise rather than depending on guidance from external supporting school
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - the school has a suitable policy following statutory guidance, well-trained staff, and strong relationships between staff and pupils that help them feel safe and share concerns.
Rochdale Islamic Academy is an independent school that does not yet meet all required standards, though it has made significant progress with external support in improving its curriculum and teaching quality.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Rochdale Islamic Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 26
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 26 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 26 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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 Rochdale is 10 (the median across 106 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
40%
Available places
80 pupils
200 places
120 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Rochdale
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Rochdale
Across Rochdale council
Places available
3,030
Applications
2,860
Got 1st preference
86.8%
Got preferred school
97.0%
All secondary applications across Rochdale council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
1.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
80
Total Pupils
0
Boys
80
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Rochdale Islamic Academy
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Rochdale Islamic Academy
What are GCSE results like at Rochdale Islamic Academy?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Rochdale Islamic Academy can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is Rochdale Islamic Academy's Ofsted rating?
Rochdale Islamic Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2024, it was rated Requires Improvement.
Does Rochdale Islamic Academy meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in December 2024, Rochdale Islamic Academy did not meet the independent school standards in Part 1 (quality of education) and Part 8 (leadership and management). At a later progress-monitoring inspection in April 2026, the school did not meet all the standards Ofsted checked.
How many pupils go to Rochdale Islamic Academy?
Rochdale Islamic Academy has around 80 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Rochdale Islamic Academy?
Rochdale Islamic Academy is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Rochdale Islamic Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 26 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 26 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 Rochdale is 10 (the median across 106 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Rochdale Islamic Academy?
Rochdale Islamic Academy is at Greenbank Rd, Rochdale, Rochdale, OL12 0HZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)