Schoolfile
Search

Academy sponsor led · Lancashire

The Valley Leadership Academy

  • 11–16Ages
  • 578Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • 147018URN

Fearns Moss, Bacup, OL13 0TG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Apr 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
1.0per place
1.5 below Lancashire median (2.5)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in LancashireSelective

105 applications for 104 places · 81st of 81 in Lancashire
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
34.3of 90
79th of 81 in Lancashire
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 21 April 2026Published 7 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourNeeds attention
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 21 April 2026
    Report card · 3 Expected standard, 3 Needs attention
  2. 19 September 2023
    Graded inspection: 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
1.0applications per place, Year 7
1.5 below Lancashire median (2.5) 1.2 below England median (2.2)

105 applications · 104 places offered · 43 named it first

  1. 2026 1.0; Lancashire median median 2.6
  2. 2025 0.8; Lancashire median median 2.7
  3. 2024 1.2; Lancashire median median 2.6
  4. 2023 1.2; Lancashire median median 2.6
  5. 2022 1.3; Lancashire median median 2.5
  6. 2021 0.9; Lancashire median median 2.6
  7. 2020 0.9; Lancashire median median 2.8
  8. 2019 0.7; Lancashire median median 2.7; as the previous school
  9. 2018 0.6; Lancashire median median 2.6; as the previous school
  10. 2017 0.7; Lancashire median median 2.7; as the previous school
  11. 2016 1.5; Lancashire median median 2.7; as the previous school
  12. 2015 1.4; Lancashire median median 2.7; as the previous school
  13. 2014 1.5; Lancashire median median 2.6; as the previous school
More applications per place than the Lancashire median in 0 of 7 years.
  • This school
  • Lancashire median

Dashed bars: as Fearns Community Sports College (URN 119745), 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20261041051.0430.41
Sep 20251391170.8470.34
Sep 20241341591.2740.55
Sep 20231832121.2970.53
Sep 20221441881.31000.69
Sep 20211641510.9760.46
Sep 20201421260.9620.44
Sep 2019 *1551010.7350.23
Sep 2018 *116670.6140.12
Sep 2017 *94640.7140.15
Sep 2016 *721081.5230.32
Sep 2015 *63871.4240.38
Sep 2014 *1111661.5480.43

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

114 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)34.379th of 81 in Lancashire
Grade 5 or above in English and maths37%54th of 81 in Lancashire
Grade 4 or above in English and maths48%
  • This school
  • Lancashire median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−1.08
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)11434.337%48%–
2024/258232.631%50%–
2023/2411829.632%40%−1.08
2022/237234.529%46%−1.01

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

  • 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
147018 · 888/4025
Trust
Star Academies
Capacity
1,050 pupils · 578 on roll
Free school meals
41.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 July 2019
Replaced
Fearns Community Sports College (URN 119745)
Address
Fearns Moss, Bacup, OL13 0TG
Local authority
Lancashire · Rossendale

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