Academy sponsor led · Blackpool

Highfield Leadership Academy

11–16Ages
751Pupils
SecondaryPhase
142469URN

Highfield Road, Blackpool, FY4 3JZ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 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

276 applications for 185 places · 7th of 8 in Blackpool

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

35.2of 90

Blackpool 35.2 England 46.0

5th of 8 in Blackpool

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Requires improvement · 12 March 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education		Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes		Requires improvement
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management		Requires improvement

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)

276 applications · 185 places offered · 121 named it first

2026 1.5; Blackpool median median 1.6
2025 1.5; Blackpool median median 1.7
2024 1.7; Blackpool median median 1.7
2023 1.8; Blackpool median median 1.8
2022 2.0; Blackpool median median 1.7
2021 2.5; Blackpool median median 2.0
2020 2.0; Blackpool median median 2.2
2019 1.9; Blackpool median median 2.1
2018 2.4; Blackpool median median 2.1
2017 1.6; Blackpool median median 1.8
2016 1.6; Blackpool median median 2.4; as the previous school
2015 2.3; Blackpool median median 2.4; as the previous school
2014 2.4; Blackpool median median 1.6; as the previous school

This school
Blackpool median

Dashed bars: as Highfield Humanities College (URN 119732), the previous school.

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	185	276	1.5	121	0.65
Sep 2025	206	304	1.5	137	0.67
Sep 2024	166	282	1.7	131	0.79
Sep 2023	174	304	1.8	113	0.65
Sep 2022	122	248	2.0	103	0.84
Sep 2021	73	181	2.5	54	0.74
Sep 2020	75	148	2.0	54	0.72
Sep 2019	95	180	1.9	58	0.61
Sep 2018	101	240	2.4	72	0.71
Sep 2017	178	281	1.6	135	0.76
Sep 2016 *	236	375	1.6	151	0.64
Sep 2015 *	213	487	2.3	254	1.19
Sep 2014 *	225	528	2.4	276	1.23

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

94 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)35.25th of 8 in Blackpool

Blackpool 35.2 England 46.0

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

Blackpool 35% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths49%

Blackpool 49% England 66%

This school
Blackpool median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.96

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	94	35.2	35%	49%	–
2024/25	107	30.0	20%	42%	–
2023/24	93	34.4	30%	45%	−0.96
2022/23	85	35.1	26%	48%	−0.79

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

Highfield Leadership AcademyThis school
This school

Requires improvement2024

1.5applications per place 35.2Attainment 8
Armfield Academy
1.2 km · Blackpool

Good2023

2.2applications per place 34.2Attainment 8
South Shore Academy
1.3 km · Blackpool

Special measures Inadequate2023

1.2applications per place 34.4Attainment 8
St George's School A Church of England Academy
1.5 km · Blackpool

Improved significantly2025

2.6applications per place 55.4Attainment 8
St Mary's Catholic Academy
4.4 km · Blackpool

2026

2.2applications per place 44.2Attainment 8
Lytham St Annes High School
5.0 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2022

1.8applications per place 46.1Attainment 8
Unity Academy Blackpool
5.4 km · Blackpool

Special measures Graded · no overall grade2024

1.6applications per place 27.9Attainment 8
Blackpool Aspire Academy
5.5 km · Blackpool

Requires improvement2024

1.5applications per place 37.7Attainment 8
Baines School
5.9 km · Lancashire

2026

2.6applications per place 47.4Attainment 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: 142469 · 890/4003
Trust: Star Academies
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,200 pupils · 751 on roll
Free school meals: 55.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 April 2016
Replaced: Highfield Humanities College (URN 119732)
Address: Highfield Road, Blackpool, FY4 3JZ
Local authority: Blackpool

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