Unity Academy Blackpool, Blackpool

Good
All-through
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Ages 216

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Chris Drew
Pupils:877 / 1,020 capacity
LA:Blackpool
Phone:01253478129
Address:Warbreck Hill Road, Blackpool, FY2 0TS
Trust:FYLDE COAST ACADEMY TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2013

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 6 months ago
-

Overall

Inadequate

Quality of Education

Requires Improvement

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Inadequate

Leadership & Management

Good

Early Years

Inspected 3 March 2026View full report
URN:139675
UKPRN:10041604
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Blackpool North and Fleetwood
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The school has made positive progress in creating a calmer, more positive learning environment where behaviour expectations are clear and most pupils are ready to learn. Leaders have honestly identified what needs to improve and are taking focused action across teaching, attendance and support for all learners. Reading results in the primary phase are improving, with Year 1 phonics now close to national average.

Key Strengths

  • New leadership culture prioritising honest self-evaluation and accurate identification of weaknesses
  • Successfully established calmer school environment with clearer behaviour expectations that most pupils now follow
  • Primary phase improvements in reading showing progress, with Year 1 phonics results now close to national average
  • Increased focus on attendance reducing persistent absence including for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND
  • New support and development board providing appropriate expertise and regular oversight of school recovery

Areas for Improvement

  • Teaching and curriculum delivery remains variable across subjects and phases - pupils not learning with sufficient depth
  • Teachers not consistently using assessment information effectively to identify gaps and shape next steps in learning
  • Secondary teachers sometimes prioritise task completion over deepening pupils' understanding
  • Pupil premium strategies for disadvantaged pupils are sometimes vague and do not holistically address multiple support needs
  • Support for pupils with SEND in lessons varies across classes and subjects despite professional development

Safeguarding

Safeguarding was evaluated as effective at the previous graded inspection.

Unity Academy Blackpool is a school in special measures that has established a new culture of transparency and is taking effective action to improve following significant weaknesses identified in leadership, curriculum delivery, and pupil achievement. Leaders and trustees are working to remove the special measures designation through focused improvements in teaching, behaviour, and attendance.

At a Glance

62.3%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

76 responses
Would recommend63%
Child is happy75%
Well taught74%
Good progress66%
Feels safe78%
Well behaved65%
Bullying dealt with28%
Kept informed71%
Handles concerns50%
Wider development70%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+7ppMaths+26ppWriting+11pp

Reading has improved from 72% to 79%. Maths has improved from 56% to 82%. Writing has improved from 68% to 79%.

Class Sizes

23.9

Avg class size

26.0

Infant (KS1)

28.3

KS2

39

Total classes

1 class with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Layton (Lancs) Rail Station (entrance)
597m · 10 min walk
Rail Station (Entrance)
599m · 10 min walk

Bus Stops

Warbreck Hill Road (opp)
153m · 2 min walk
Shaftesbury Avenue (opp)
338m · 5 min walk
Devonshire Arms (o/s)
381m · 6 min walk
Cotswold Road (by)
387m · 6 min walk
Chelsea Avenue (opp)
424m · 7 min walk
Can you get into this school?
Enter your postcode to find out

Commute Calculator

Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply

Sign up free to see your commute to this school

What are my chances?

Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.

Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

86%

Available places

877 pupils

1,020 capacity

143 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Blackpool

Low pressure
New homes approved:1,729
Projected new pupils:311

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Blackpool

Admissions Demand - Blackpool

Low demand1.03x oversubscription

Places available

1,565

Applications

1,613

Got 1st preference

82.8%

Got preferred school

93.8%

Secondary admissions across Blackpool (2025/26)

Inspection History(7)

3 March 2026
Quality of EducationInadequate
Behaviour & AttitudesRequires Improvement
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementInadequate
Early YearsGood
10 December 2024
29 November 2023

House Prices

Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost

Sign up free to see house prices near this school

SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

Sign up free to see special needs support at this school

Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

Sign up free to see who goes to this school

Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

Sign up free to see teacher and staff data

School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

Sign up free to see how this school is funded

Pupil Absence
2024/25

11.4557%

Overall absence

35.99585%

Persistent absence

964

Enrolments

Authorised4.59844%
Unauthorised6.85726%
Persistent (10%+)35.99585%
Severe (50%+)6.22407%

Absence trend

5.13537%
18/19
7.98699%
20/21
9.73921%
21/22
11.22136%
22/23
12.22626%
23/24
11.4557%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Reviews

No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.

Leave a Review

You need to be signed in to leave a review.

Feeder Primary Schools

Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity

Showing 10 of 14 linked schools

Nearby Schools

Do you work at this school?

Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.