Schools by area › Salford › Irlam and Cadishead Academy
Irlam and Cadishead Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
Station Road, Irlam, Manchester M44 5ZR · irlamandcadishead.org.uk · 0161 537 0660
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Feb 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 43.6
- average Attainment 8 score. Salford 42.9, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 844
- 80% of 1,050 places
- Local authority
- Salford
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 39.1%
- First language not English
- 9.7%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 162 families put the school first and 174 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 174 | 162 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 198 | 174 | 0.9 | 99% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 163 | 145 | 0.9 | 99% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 171 | 145 | 0.8 | 99% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 160 | 126 | 0.8 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 43.6, and 46.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Salford it was 42.9, and across England 46.
In 2015/16 the average A level result was grade E+ (12.1 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼43.6 | 46.0 | ||
| ●46.7% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼62.6% | 64.8% | ||
| ●39.3% | 40.5% | ||
| ●3.90 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 105976)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 0.9 | −1.9 |
| Sixth form college | 17 | −0.8 |
| Further education | 61.3 | +9 |
| Other education | 0.9 | 0 |
| Apprenticeship | 2.8 | −6.5 |
| Employment | 4.7 | −0.9 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 9.4 | +1 |
| Activity not captured | 2.8 | 0 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
| 2015/16 | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| A level | 17 | E+ (12.1) | -0.87 |
| All academic | 17 | E+ (12.1) | -0.87 |
Published for the predecessor school (URN 105976)
Where sixth-form leavers went
Left in 2015/16
| University | 7 |
|---|---|
| Further and other education | 22 |
| Further education | 14 |
| Other education | 7 |
| Apprenticeship | 7 |
| Employment | 14 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 36 |
| Activity not captured | 14 |
Published for the predecessor school (URN 105976)
Ofsted
Irlam and Cadishead Academy was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 28 February 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 28 Feb 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Sept 2021
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 105976), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Sept 2021Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Feb 2015Inadequate
Leadership and management Inadequate Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 105976)
What parents said
65% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (81 replies, to 6 January 2025).
- Recommend
- 65%
- Replies
- 81
- 11% · 6 Jan 2025
based on the 86% who raised concerns
based on the 47% who had a child bullied
based on 27 parents (33%) with SEND