Unsworth Academy, Bury

From the headteacher's welcome: "At Unsworth Academy, we are proud to be a warm, ambitious and inclusive school where every young person is known, supported and challenged to achieve their very best. We place great value on strong relationships, excellent teaching, and a culture where respectful behaviour and high expectations help learners to feel safe, confident and ready to learn."

In 2026, pupils at Unsworth Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.2 in Bury and 47 across England.

37% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 39% in Bury and 47% in England.

That is down from 45.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.21: pupils made above 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 33.7, against 46.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 191 families put Unsworth Academy as their first choice and 433 named it as one of their preferences, for 199 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Unsworth Academy are Parrenthorn High School (1.2 miles, Attainment 8 45.4); Philips High School (1.6 miles, Attainment 8 46.2); The Heys School (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 33.1); and Edgar Wood Academy (2 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 41.4).

Unsworth Academy's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Unsworth Academy is one of 31 schools run by The Shaw Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 42.2 in 2024/25.

96 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Unsworth Academy (as of September 2025): 87% would recommend the school, 88% say their child is happy there and 65% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (90%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (65%).

Of the 180 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 82% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 41% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

9.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (73%), Asian (14%) and Mixed (6%).

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

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Unsworth Academy (outside), 40 metres away.

In 2024/25, Unsworth Academy issued 83 suspensions, 8.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Unsworth Academy are Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School (0.2 miles), Mersey Drive Community Primary School (0.4 miles), Unsworth Primary School (0.5 miles) and Sunny Bank Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.