Kearsley AcademyThe Lowry Academy
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side.
Summary of the comparison
Kearsley Academy and The Lowry Academy are secondary schools.
Kearsley Academy scores 69 out of 100 (grade C, average) and The Lowry Academy scores 52 out of 100 (grade D, below average). Kearsley Academy is ahead on our composite score.
Kearsley Academy was judged strong and The Lowry Academy was judged Good.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 51.1 for Kearsley Academy and 42.1 for The Lowry Academy.
GCSE Attainment 8 has risen at Kearsley Academy (48.3 in 2021-22, 51.1 in 2025-26) and has risen at The Lowry Academy (34.8 in 2021-22, 42.1 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | BoltonKearsley Academy | ManchesterThe Lowry Academy | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C69/100Stronger figure | D52/100 | |
| Local ranking | 5th of 20 in Bolton | 10th of 16 in Salford | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: StrongStronger figure | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Academy sponsor led | Academy sponsor led | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-16 | 11-16 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 768 | 884 | |
| Capacity | 950 | 1,200 | |
| Location | Bolton, BL4 8HY | Manchester, M28 0SY | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 51.1 Stronger figure | 42.1 | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 65.9% Stronger figure | 42.2% | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 77.8% Stronger figure | 59.2% | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 135 | 211 | |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 780 | 922 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 42.7% | 57.7% | |
| English as an additional language | 17.8% | 31.9% | |
| SEN support | 15.8% | 11.1% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 2.7% | 1.8% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 9.6% Stronger figure | 10.0% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 29.3% | 27.1% 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.
Kearsley Academy
The Lowry Academy
Full profiles: Kearsley Academy · The Lowry Academy