Blackpool Aspire AcademySt Mary's Catholic Academy
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Blackpool.
Summary of the comparison
Blackpool Aspire Academy and St Mary's Catholic Academy are secondary schools in Blackpool.
Blackpool Aspire Academy scores 31 out of 100 (grade F, weak) and St Mary's Catholic Academy scores 49 out of 100 (grade D, below average). St Mary's Catholic Academy is ahead on our composite score.
Blackpool Aspire Academy was judged Requires improvement and St Mary's Catholic Academy was judged the expected standard.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 37.7 for Blackpool Aspire Academy and 44.2 for St Mary's Catholic Academy.
GCSE Attainment 8 has held broadly level at Blackpool Aspire Academy (36.7 in 2021-22, 37.7 in 2025-26) and has held broadly level at St Mary's Catholic Academy (44.6 in 2021-22, 44.2 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | BlackpoolBlackpool Aspire Academy | BlackpoolSt Mary's Catholic Academy | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | F31/100 | D49/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 5th of 8 in Blackpool | 2nd of 8 in Blackpool Stronger figure | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Requires improvement | Ofsted: ExpectedStronger figure | |
| School type | Academy sponsor led | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-16 | 11-18 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 799 | 1,188 | |
| Capacity | 900 | 1,199 | |
| Location | Blackpool, FY3 7LS | Blackpool, FY3 7EQ | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 37.7 | 44.2 Stronger figure | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 35.2% | 39.4% Stronger figure | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 59.2% | 60.6% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 142 | 203 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | Not reported | 62 | |
| A-level average points | Not reported | 31.2 | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | Not reported | C | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | Not reported | 35.0 | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | Not reported | 19.4% | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 835 | 1,184 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 66.5% | 37.1% | |
| English as an additional language | 9.8% | 28.1% | |
| SEN support | 16.4% | 12.0% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 1.9% | 1.8% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 9.6% | 7.9% Stronger figure | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 32.8% | 22.5% Stronger figure | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Blackpool Aspire Academy
St Mary's Catholic Academy
Full profiles: Blackpool Aspire Academy · St Mary's Catholic Academy