Academy sponsor led · Stoke-on-Trent

Discovery Academy

11–16Ages
1,435Pupils
SecondaryPhase
136681URN

Discovery Drive, Bentilee, Stoke-on-Trent, ST2 0GA · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Apr 2024 Previous framework

Requires improvement

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.4per place

0.5 below Stoke-on-Trent median (1.9)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Stoke-on-TrentSelective

307 applications for 221 places · 14th of 15 in Stoke-on-Trent

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

33.5of 90

Stoke-on-Trent 40.7 England 46.0

13th of 14 in Stoke-on-Trent

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Requires improvement · 16 April 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education		Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes	Good
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management	Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.4applications per place, Year 7

0.5 below Stoke-on-Trent median (1.9) 0.8 below England median (2.2)

307 applications · 221 places offered · 208 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 1.4; Stoke-on-Trent median median 1.9
2025 1.2; Stoke-on-Trent median median 2.1
2024 1.5; Stoke-on-Trent median median 2.1
2023 1.4; Stoke-on-Trent median median 1.9
2022 1.6; Stoke-on-Trent median median 2.0
2021 1.6; Stoke-on-Trent median median 2.1
2020 1.7; Stoke-on-Trent median median 2.1
2019 1.6; Stoke-on-Trent median median 1.9
2018 1.5; Stoke-on-Trent median median 2.0
2017 1.3; Stoke-on-Trent median median 2.0
2016 1.3; Stoke-on-Trent median median 1.9
2015 1.3; Stoke-on-Trent median median 1.9
2014 1.5; Stoke-on-Trent median median 1.7

More applications per place than the Stoke-on-Trent median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Stoke-on-Trent median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	221	307	1.4	208	0.94
Sep 2025	283	346	1.2	223	0.79
Sep 2024	285	420	1.5	240	0.84
Sep 2023	295	420	1.4	262	0.89
Sep 2022	295	470	1.6	300	1.02
Sep 2021	298	475	1.6	288	0.97
Sep 2020	291	487	1.7	272	0.93
Sep 2019	253	397	1.6	272	1.08
Sep 2018	241	352	1.5	238	0.99
Sep 2017	228	296	1.3	203	0.89
Sep 2016	250	329	1.3	204	0.82
Sep 2015	238	317	1.3	210	0.88
Sep 2014	229	345	1.5	216	0.94

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

289 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)33.513th of 14 in Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent 40.7 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths22%11th of 14 in Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent 37% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths40%

Stoke-on-Trent 56% England 66%

This school
Stoke-on-Trent median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.65

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	289	33.5	22%	40%	–
2024/25	289	37.4	28%	53%	–
2023/24	262	36.3	28%	45%	−0.65
2022/23	233	38.5	28%	49%	−0.37

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Discovery AcademyThis school
This school

Requires improvement2024

1.4applications per place 33.5Attainment 8
Co-op Academy Florence MacWilliams
2.8 km · Stoke-on-Trent

Not yet inspected

2.1applications per place
St Thomas More Catholic Academy
2.9 km · Stoke-on-Trent

Remains Good2022

2.2applications per place 43.6Attainment 8
St Peter's CofE Academy
3.5 km · Stoke-on-Trent

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.8applications per place 34.2Attainment 8
Moorside High School
3.8 km · Staffordshire

Good2024

1.6applications per place 43.5Attainment 8
Ormiston Meridian Academy
3.9 km · Stoke-on-Trent

2026

1.7applications per place 40.6Attainment 8
Birches Head Academy
4.3 km · Stoke-on-Trent

Serious weaknesses 2026

1.3applications per place 33.0Attainment 8
Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy
4.8 km · Stoke-on-Trent

Remains Good2023

1.8applications per place 42.3Attainment 8
The Excel Academy
5.1 km · Stoke-on-Trent

2026

2.3applications per place 40.7Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 136681 · 861/4714
Trust: Alpha Academies Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,500 pupils · 1,435 on roll
Free school meals: 52.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision
Opened: 1 September 2011
Address: Discovery Drive, Bentilee, Stoke-on-Trent, ST2 0GA
Local authority: Stoke-on-Trent

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources