Academy converter · Lancashire

Albany Academy

11–16Ages
725Pupils
SecondaryPhase
138544URN

Bolton Road, Chorley, PR7 3AY · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.9per place

1.3 above Lancashire median (2.5)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in LancashireSelective

551 applications for 142 places · 7th of 81 in Lancashire

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

45.1of 90

Lancashire 43.8 England 46.0

37th of 81 in Lancashire

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 5 March 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good

Inspection history

5 March 2024
Graded inspection: Good
16 November 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

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

3.9applications per place, Year 7

1.3 above Lancashire median (2.5) 1.6 above England median (2.2)

551 applications · 142 places offered · 129 named it first

2026 3.9; Lancashire median median 2.6
2025 4.8; Lancashire median median 2.7
2024 4.0; Lancashire median median 2.6
2023 4.7; Lancashire median median 2.6
2022 4.4; Lancashire median median 2.5
2021 4.4; Lancashire median median 2.6
2020 4.3; Lancashire median median 2.8
2019 4.1; Lancashire median median 2.7
2018 4.1; Lancashire median median 2.6
2017 4.1; Lancashire median median 2.7
2016 3.5; Lancashire median median 2.7
2015 3.1; Lancashire median median 2.7
2014 3.7; Lancashire median median 2.6

More applications per place than the Lancashire median in 13 of 13 years.

This school
Lancashire 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	142	551	3.9	129	0.91
Sep 2025	127	610	4.8	135	1.06
Sep 2024	146	584	4.0	124	0.85
Sep 2023	149	702	4.7	186	1.25
Sep 2022	148	656	4.4	193	1.30
Sep 2021	146	648	4.4	188	1.29
Sep 2020	149	643	4.3	186	1.25
Sep 2019	147	599	4.1	154	1.05
Sep 2018	150	615	4.1	195	1.30
Sep 2017	133	550	4.1	177	1.33
Sep 2016	134	468	3.5	136	1.01
Sep 2015	146	459	3.1	135	0.92
Sep 2014	128	469	3.7	157	1.23

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

139 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)45.137th of 81 in Lancashire

Lancashire 43.8 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths35%60th of 81 in Lancashire

Lancashire 39% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths66%

Lancashire 64% England 66%

This school
Lancashire median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.10

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	139	45.1	35%	66%	–
2024/25	143	43.7	34%	55%	–
2023/24	130	44.5	37%	60%	−0.10
2022/23	137	45.0	41%	56%	−0.04

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

Albany AcademyThis school
This school

Good2024

3.9applications per place 45.1Attainment 8
Holy Cross Catholic High School
0.9 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2022

3.2applications per place 55.4Attainment 8
Southlands High School
2.0 km · Lancashire

Requires improvement2024

1.7applications per place 40.4Attainment 8
Parklands High School
2.3 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2023

3.6applications per place 49.1Attainment 8
St Michael's Church of England High School
2.3 km · Lancashire

Good2022

3.5applications per place 60.6Attainment 8
Rivington and Blackrod High School
5.9 km · Bolton

Good2023

2.1applications per place 45.4Attainment 8
Balshaw's Church of England High School
6.6 km · Lancashire

Good2023

3.5applications per place 53.0Attainment 8
Standish Community High School
6.8 km · Wigan

2026

2.0applications per place 51.9Attainment 8
St Mary's Catholic High School
7.6 km · Lancashire

Standards maintained2025

3.0applications per place 46.8Attainment 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 converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 138544 · 888/4403
Trust: Albany Learning Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 756 pupils · 725 on roll
Free school meals: 31.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 August 2012
Replaced: Albany Science College (URN 119768)
Address: Bolton Road, Chorley, PR7 3AY
Local authority: Lancashire · Chorley

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