Schools by area › Lancashire › The Valley Leadership Academy
The Valley Leadership Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
Fearns Moss, Bacup OL13 0TG · thevalleyleadershipacademy.com · 01706 873896
On the mapSearch near OL13 0TG
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Apr 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 32.6
- average Attainment 8 score. Lancashire 45.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.4
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 578
- 55% of 1,050 places
- Local authority
- Lancashire
- Sixth form
- No
- Free school meals
- 41.9%
- First language not English
- 2.2%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Star Academies
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 43 families put the school first and 104 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 | 104 | 43 | 0.4 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 139 | 47 | 0.3 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 134 | 74 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 183 | 97 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 144 | 100 | 0.7 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 32.6, and 30.5% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Lancashire it was 45.1, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼32.6 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼30.5% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼50.0% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼32.9% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼2.92 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 119745)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 4.2 | +2.7 |
| Sixth form college | 1.7 | +0.2 |
| Further education | 59.3 | −1.9 |
| Apprenticeship | 13.6 | +9.1 |
| Employment | 1.7 | −5.8 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 10.2 | −7.7 |
| Activity not captured | 9.3 | +3.3 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected The Valley Leadership Academy on 21 April 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
- Achievement: Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: Needs attention
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 21 Apr 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Needs attention |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Sept 2023
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 119745), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Sept 2023Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Jan 2019Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 119745)
May 2016Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 119745)
May 2014Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 119745)
What parents said
77% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (13 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 77%
- Replies
- 13
- 2% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 69% who raised concerns
based on the 31% who had a child bullied