The Springboard Project, Oldham
The Springboard Project is a special school for pupils aged 14 to 19 in Oldham, part of New Bridge Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Springboard Project in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Springboard Project are Future Finders Employability College (under 0.1 miles, Good); Thornycroft School (0.7 miles); Path 4 (0.9 miles); and EdStart Schools Oldham and Rochdale (1 mile).
Future Finders Employability CollegeThornycroft SchoolPath 4EdStart Schools Oldham and Rochdale
The trust
The Springboard Project is one of 8 schools run by New Bridge Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 35 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 6% to a further education college.
Who goes there
72.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (81%) and Mixed (11%).
Almost every pupil at The Springboard Project has an education, health and care plan (155 of 155 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
The Springboard Project has a resourced provision for social, emotional and mental health needs: 50 places, 50 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Oldham Central (Manchester Metrolink), about 150 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).
19 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ashton Road (adjacent), 210 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Springboard Project stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Springboard Project issued 3 suspensions, 2.1 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Leadership & management, Sixth form.
At a Glance
72.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Springboard Project
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Springboard Project from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Springboard Project is in Oldham; for families living there:
Apply to Oldham for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 69
- Fatal
- 2
- Serious
- 17
- Children hurt
- 17
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 69 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 17 serious and 50 slight.
17 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 9 in a vehicle or otherwise.
7 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 Oldham is 14 (the median across 129 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
122%
Over capacity
155 pupils
127 places
28 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Oldham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Oldham
Across Oldham council
Places available
4,034
Applications
3,190
Got 1st preference
75.2%
Got preferred school
95.4%
All secondary applications across Oldham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
155
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Springboard Project has a resourced provision for social, emotional and mental health needs: 50 places, 50 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
155
Total Pupils
103
Boys
52
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
15.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,372
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
48.5%
Overall absence
92.9%
Persistent absence
85
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about The Springboard Project
What are GCSE results like at The Springboard Project?
In the 2025 results, pupils at The Springboard Project achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.1. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is The Springboard Project's Ofsted rating?
The Springboard Project was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024.
What is the catchment area for The Springboard Project?
No fixed boundary. When The Springboard Project is oversubscribed, Oldham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Springboard Project?
The Springboard Project has around 155 pupils on roll. 72% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Springboard Project have specialist SEN provision?
The Springboard Project has a resourced provision for social, emotional and mental health needs: 50 places, 50 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at The Springboard Project?
48.5% of sessions were missed at The Springboard Project in 2024/25. 92.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Springboard Project?
Apply through Oldham's coordinated admissions process, naming The Springboard Project 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 The Springboard Project?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 69 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 17 serious and 50 slight. 17 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 9 in a vehicle or otherwise. 7 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 Oldham is 14 (the median across 129 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Springboard Project?
The Springboard Project is at 2 Medtia Square, Phoenix Street, Oldham, OL1 1AN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)