Academy sponsor led · Blackpool

Blackpool Aspire Academy

11–16Ages
799Pupils
SecondaryPhase
141132URN

Blackpool Old Road, Blackpool, FY3 7LS · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jun 2024 Previous framework

Requires improvement

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.5per place

close to Blackpool median (1.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Blackpool

211 applications for 141 places · 6th of 8 in Blackpool

Every year since 2015

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

37.7of 90

Blackpool 35.2 England 46.0

4th of 8 in Blackpool

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Requires improvement · 5 June 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

1.5applications per place, Year 7

close to Blackpool median (1.6) 0.7 below England median (2.2)

211 applications · 141 places offered · 117 named it first

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

2026 1.5; Blackpool median median 1.6
2025 1.4; Blackpool median median 1.7
2024 1.3; Blackpool median median 1.7
2023 1.4; Blackpool median median 1.8
2022 1.5; Blackpool median median 1.7
2021 1.5; Blackpool median median 2.0
2020 1.3; Blackpool median median 2.2
2019 1.5; Blackpool median median 2.1
2018 1.5; Blackpool median median 2.1
2017 1.8; Blackpool median median 1.8
2016 1.6; Blackpool median median 2.4
2015 1.6; Blackpool median median 2.4

More applications per place than the Blackpool median in 0 of 12 years.

This school
Blackpool 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	141	211	1.5	117	0.83
Sep 2025	178	254	1.4	135	0.76
Sep 2024	176	220	1.3	111	0.63
Sep 2023	151	218	1.4	102	0.68
Sep 2022	143	208	1.5	109	0.76
Sep 2021	146	212	1.5	103	0.71
Sep 2020	173	231	1.3	100	0.58
Sep 2019	171	249	1.5	122	0.71
Sep 2018	178	265	1.5	116	0.65
Sep 2017	125	220	1.8	93	0.74
Sep 2016	159	258	1.6	86	0.54
Sep 2015	118	190	1.6	67	0.57

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

142 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)37.74th of 8 in Blackpool

Blackpool 35.2 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths35%4th of 8 in Blackpool

Blackpool 35% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths59%

Blackpool 49% England 66%

This school
Blackpool median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−1.31

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	142	37.7	35%	59%	–
2024/25	158	36.7	29%	53%	–
2023/24	163	32.1	24%	38%	−1.31
2022/23	165	32.7	18%	41%	−1.16

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

Blackpool Aspire AcademyThis school
This school

Requires improvement2024

1.5applications per place 37.7Attainment 8
St Mary's Catholic Academy
1.2 km · Blackpool

2026

2.2applications per place 44.2Attainment 8
Baines School
1.4 km · Lancashire

2026

2.6applications per place 47.4Attainment 8
Unity Academy Blackpool
1.6 km · Blackpool

Special measures Graded · no overall grade2024

1.6applications per place 27.9Attainment 8
Montgomery Academy
2.5 km · Blackpool

Good2024

1.7applications per place 40.9Attainment 8
Hodgson Academy
2.5 km · Lancashire

Good2022

3.3applications per place 49.3Attainment 8
Millfield School
3.4 km · Lancashire

Good2022

3.8applications per place 47.5Attainment 8
St George's School A Church of England Academy
4.4 km · Blackpool

Improved significantly2025

2.6applications per place 55.4Attainment 8
South Shore Academy
4.9 km · Blackpool

Special measures Inadequate2023

1.2applications per place 34.4Attainment 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: 141132 · 890/4002
Trust: Fylde Coast Academy Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 900 pupils · 799 on roll
Free school meals: 66.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2014
Address: Blackpool Old Road, Blackpool, FY3 7LS
Local authority: Blackpool

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