Samuel Laycock School

Special academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 17 · Mixed

Part of NEW BRIDGE MULTI ACADEMY TRUST

Broadoak Road, Ashton-Under-Lyne, OL6 8RF

0161 344 1992 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedNo overall gradeInspected 8 October 2024
Grade 5 or above in English and maths0%England 45% · 2024/25
Pupils252Room for 180 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 144 in 2019, 178 in 2021, 198 in 2022, 211 in 2023, 228 in 2024, 239 in 2025, 252 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals56%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

At the inspection that started on 8 October 2024, Ofsted graded each area separately. It stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
Personal developmentOutstanding
Leadership and managementOutstanding
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

12 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 75% 89%
My child feels safe at this school 67% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 67% 84%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 11 parents who had raised a concern 64% 76%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 12 parents of children with SEND 75% 68%
I would recommend this school to another parent 50%said yes 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 5%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

41 pupils in this year group.

0% — 41 points below the Tameside average, and 45 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolTamesideEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 0% 41% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. 0.8 43.6 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 0.1 3.8 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
0% 20% 40% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 0%This school 2023/24: 0%This school 2024/25: 0% This school England 45% 2022/23 0% 2023/24 0% 2024/25 0%

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

37 pupils in this year group.

89% — about the same as the Tameside average, and 3 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolTamesideEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 89% 89% 92%
School sixth form 0% 3% 34%
Sixth form college 0% 36% 13%
Further education college 65% 43% 37%
Apprenticeship 0% 3% 3%
Work 0% 3% 3%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Tameside. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Tameside

Pupils, staff and SEND

This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round. It caters for: Autism; Moderate learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolTamesideEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 59.8% 58.6%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 100.0%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 0.0%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 2.9% 10.1%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 10.1% 11.2%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 32.2% 32.9%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 14.2 6.2 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 7.9% 4.0% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.00% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 10.0 9.2 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 3.4 2.8 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 25.4% 22.4%* 14.3%*

Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).

Nearby special schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Samuel Laycock School's Ofsted rating?

At its inspection in 8 October 2024, Ofsted graded each area separately; it stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.

How did Samuel Laycock School do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 0% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 45 points below the England average of 45%.

Would parents recommend Samuel Laycock School?

50% of the 12 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend Samuel Laycock School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.