OFSTED
3 February 2023
Latest ungraded inspection
Latest published outcome
School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Does not apply
Local authority
Rochdale
Trust
WATERGROVE TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,344
1,344 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
678
50.4% of pupils
Male pupils
666
49.6% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
23.6 pts
above England
School
48.4%
Rochdale
33.0%
North West
28.5%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
50.3 pts
above England
School
70.6%
Rochdale
27.4%
North West
18.1%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
1.0 pts
below England
School
0.0%
Rochdale
0.5%
North West
0.8%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
Pakistani
53.9%
725
White British
14.4%
193
Bangladeshi
12.2%
164
African
4.0%
54
Any other Asian background
3.3%
44
Any other ethnic group
3.0%
40
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
19.1%
256 of
1,344 pupils
1.8 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
0.5 pts
above
England
6.0%
2.3 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
10.28%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
4.06 pts
higher than
England
School
10.28%
Rochdale
6.78%
North West
6.25%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
30.45%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
14.63 pts
higher than
England
School
30.45%
Rochdale
18.20%
North West
15.89%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
3.97%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
2.17 pts
higher than
England
School
3.97%
Rochdale
2.12%
North West
1.75%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
100.4%
8.1 pts
above England
Falinge Park High School
100.4%
Rochdale
95.0%
North West
91.8%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.