The Hathershaw College, Oldham

Ofsted's report card from its 14 April 2026 inspection grades The Hathershaw College on 6 areas: 3 expected standard and 3 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have prioritised improving pupils' attendance."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "This is an inclusive community where pupils experience a positive sense of belonging."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The personal development programme is well designed."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Over time, pupils have not achieved well enough by the time they leave Hathershaw."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Recently, leaders have made substantial changes to the school's chosen teaching strategies, including the introduction of a new approach to the way lessons are delivered."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Until recently, leaders did not make changes to bring about improvements quickly enough."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that all pupils achieve their best and that outcomes for pupils in national assessments improve"; "Leaders should support teachers to use assessment procedures with precision across the curriculum to ensure that pupils' misconceptions are identified at the earliest stages. This should ensure that gaps in pupils' knowledge are addressed through effective teaching to help all pupils to catch up and keep up with the curriculum, including in reading and writing".

In 2026, pupils at The Hathershaw College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 35.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.4 in Oldham and 47 across England.

20% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 40% in Oldham and 47% in England.

That is down from 39.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.23: 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 32, against 39.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 7.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Design and Technology and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 167 families put The Hathershaw College as their first choice and 403 named it as one of their preferences, for 200 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 9 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Hathershaw College are Oasis Academy Oldham (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.5); The Brian Clarke Church of England Academy (1.4 miles); Oasis Academy Leesbrook (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 40.4); and The Blue Coat CofE School (1.6 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 57).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than The Hathershaw College.

The Hathershaw College is one of 5 schools run by The Pinnacle Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 205 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 84% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 34% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

54.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 47.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (61%) and White British (22%).

The Hathershaw College has a resourced provision for hearing impairment: 12 places, 18 pupils on roll.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Oldham King Street (Manchester Metrolink), about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bellfield Avenue (near), 110 metres away.

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

In 2024/25, The Hathershaw College issued 180 suspensions, 17.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Hathershaw College are Holy Rosary RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.2 miles); Medlock Valley Primary School (0.5 miles); St Martin's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery School (0.5 miles); and Lyndhurst Primary and Nursery School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.