Woodhey High School, Bury

Requires Improvement
Secondary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 1116

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~2.2km)Possible (~3.2km)Unlikely (~4.1km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Dean Watson
Pupils:1,111 / 1,050 capacity
LA:Bury
Phone:01706825215
Address:Bolton Road West, Ramsbottom, Bury, BL0 9QZ
Trust:THE SHAW EDUCATION TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 October 2020

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Outstanding

Behaviour & Attitudes

Outstanding

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Inspected 15 July 2025View full report
URN:148097
UKPRN:10086812
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Bury North
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Woodhey High School excels at creating a supportive, respectful community where pupils feel safe and proud to belong. The school offers exceptional opportunities for personal development and careers preparation, helping young people thrive. Teachers demonstrate strong expertise and are supported well, contributing to pupils' positive achievement and engagement.

Key Strengths

  • Exemplary behaviour, attendance and manners with exceptional pupil engagement in lessons
  • Excellent personal development programme covering real-life issues like financial literacy and gender equality
  • Outstanding careers programme with visits to employers and diverse opportunities
  • Well-designed curriculum with clear progression and strong teacher subject expertise
  • Effective support for pupils with reading difficulties, making them confident and fluent readers

Areas for Improvement

  • Assessment strategies are variable across some subjects, meaning gaps in knowledge are not always identified and addressed quickly enough
  • Information provided to teachers about supporting pupils with SEND sometimes lacks clarity and detail
  • Some pupils with SEND do not receive consistent support as a result of unclear guidance

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong procedures and a positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Sports, music, drama, art, careers fairs, employer visits, military experience sampling

Woodhey High School has been transformed since its last inspection, with pupils and staff reporting a palpable change in culture. The school is guided by core values of respect and excellence, which shape behaviour, learning and personal development.

At a Glance

15.5%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

336 responses
Would recommend84%
Child is happy84%
Well taught85%
Good progress89%
Feels safe88%
Well behaved89%
Bullying dealt with17%
Kept informed84%
Handles concerns56%
Wider development77%

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

Class Sizes

26.3

Avg class size

42

Total classes

13 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Woodhey High School (adj)
57m · 1 min walk
The Brook (opp)
159m · 3 min walk
Hare & Hounds (Stop D)
221m · 4 min walk
Cunliffe Avenue (nr)
262m · 4 min walk
Avondale Drive (nr)
342m · 6 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

106%

Over capacity

1,111 pupils

1,050 capacity

61 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Bury

High pressure
New homes approved:1,816
Projected new pupils:327

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Bury

Admissions Demand - Bury

Low demand0.95x oversubscription

Places available

2,453

Applications

2,319

Got 1st preference

89.8%

Got preferred school

97.2%

Secondary admissions across Bury (2025/26)

Inspection History(2)

15 July 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesOutstanding
Personal DevelopmentOutstanding
Leadership & ManagementGood
18 October 2022
Requires ImprovementReport
Quality of EducationRequires Improvement
Behaviour & AttitudesRequires Improvement
Personal DevelopmentRequires Improvement
Leadership & ManagementRequires Improvement

House Prices

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SEN Provision

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

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

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

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

6.53403%

Overall absence

14.24779%

Persistent absence

1,130

Enrolments

Authorised3.82456%
Unauthorised2.70947%
Persistent (10%+)14.24779%
Severe (50%+)3.18584%

Absence trend

4.27411%
20/21
8.6635%
21/22
7.60603%
22/23
7.45288%
23/24
6.53403%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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