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St Mary's Catholic Academy

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

St Walburga's Road, Blackpool FY3 7EQ · st-mary.blackpool.sch.uk · 01253 396286

On the mapSearch near FY3 7EQ

Overview

Ofsted
Report card
Jun 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
GCSEs, 2024/25
41.5
average Attainment 8 score. Blackpool 37, England 46
Demand for places
1.2
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,188
99% of 1,199 places
Local authority
Blackpool
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
35.2%
First language not English
27.5%
School census 2025/26
Trust
The Blessed Edward Bamber Catholic Multi Academy Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 245 families put the school first and 204 places were offered; 78% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 258 (Places 208)258September 2023: 258 (Places 210)258September 2024: 246 (Places 208)246September 2025: 268 (Places 227)268September 2026: 245 (Places 204)245Places 204
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20262042451.2▲78%
September 2025Sept 20252272681.2▲81%
September 2024Sept 20242082461.2▲79%
September 2023Sept 20232102581.2▲78%
September 2022Sept 20222082581.2▲80%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 41.5, and 28.8% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Blackpool it was 37, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C (31.2 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 42.3 (England 46.3)42.32017/18: 46.1 (England 46.5)46.12018/19: 45.0 (England 46.7)45.02021/22: 44.6 (England 48.8)44.62022/23: 40.3 (England 46.3)40.32023/24: 42.0 (England 45.9)42.02024/25: 41.5 (England 46.0)41.5England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▼41.546.0
▼28.8%45.4%
▼54.8%64.8%
▼11.5%40.5%
▼3.374.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form22.9−9.1
Sixth form college23.4−0.2
Further education38+9.4
Other education2+1
Apprenticeship2.4−0.6
Employment2.9−0.1
Not in a lasting destination8.3+0.4

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 27.3 (England 30.5)C-2016/17: 27.7 (England 31.1)C-2017/18: 27.4 (England 32.1)C-2018/19: 32.0 (England 32.9)C+2021/22: 30.1 (England 37.9)C2022/23: 33.1 (England 34.2)C+2023/24: 31.6 (England 34.4)C2024/25: 31.2 (England 35.0)CEngland 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
62 studentsC (31.2)Below average -0.19
62 studentsC (31.3)Below average -0.20
36 studentsMerit+ (29.6)Average +0.21
8 studentsDist (34.4)Average +0.44
19.4%AAB or better
96.4%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/2467C (31.6)-0.17
2022/2371C+ (33.1)—
2021/2284C (30.1)—
2018/1960C+ (32)-0.09
2017/1873C- (27.4)+0.02
2016/1768C- (27.7)+0.22
2015/1678C- (27.3)-0.01

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University71.8+14
Further education2.8−1.6
Apprenticeship4.2+0.9
Employment12.7−14
Not in a lasting destination7+0.3
Activity not captured1.4+0.3

Ofsted

Ofsted inspected St Mary's Catholic Academy on 16 June 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.

Inspected
16 Jun 2026
Report card
Safeguarding
Met

Inspection reports

Graded areas

InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and well-beingExpected standard
Post-16 provisionExpected standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard

Previously: Good, graded inspection, May 2022

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • May 2022Good
    Quality of educationGood
    Behaviour and attitudesGood
    Personal developmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    Sixth formGood
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • Nov 2011Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesGood
  • Oct 2008Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesGood

What parents said

82% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (78 replies, to 2 April 2023).

Recommend
82%
Replies
78
6% · 2 Apr 2023
Child is happy at school▼81% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe▼85% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved●85% agreeEngland 83%
School has high expectations▼78% agreeEngland 82%
Child does well▼84% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼66% agreeEngland 80%
Told how child is doing●81% agreeEngland 83%
Good range of subjects●91% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▲95% agreeEngland 90%
Supports personal development▼70% agreeEngland 78%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼68% agreeEngland 74%

based on the 78% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly●49% agreeEngland 49%

based on the 45% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼46% agreeEngland 67%

based on 13 parents (17%) with SEND

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