As students in Oldham return for their final summer term, parents might be starting to look at secondary schools for next term.

Admissions for high school places usually open ahead of time, around August every year.

Parents with youngsters looking to start Year 7 in September 2025 have until the end of October this year to submit their top three preferences to Oldham Council - and many might be starting to look at schools in advance.

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The education watchdog regularly publishes its reports and findings of all its schools across the borough, and each school's overall grade and past reports are publicly available.

While we have compiled all the 'outstanding' and 'good' secondary schools in Oldham, here are the ones given a 'requires improvement' rating or 'inadequate' by Ofsted at the time of writing.

Inadequate

  1. Waterhead Academy, Huddersfield Road, graded 'inadequate' in 2022

Requires improvement

  1. Co-op Academy Failsworth, Brierley Avenue, Failsworth, graded 'requires improvement' in 2022

  2. Blessed John Henry Newman Roman Catholic College, Broadway, Chadderton, graded 'requires improvement' in 2023

  3. North Chadderton School, Chadderton Hall Road, graded 'requires improvement' in 2022

  4. Greater Manchester Independent School, Peel Street, Failsworth, graded 'requires improvement' in 2019

  5. Oasis Academy Oldham, Hollins Road, graded 'requires improvement' in 2022

  6. E-ACT Royton and Crompton Academy, Blackshaw Lane, Royton, graded 'requires improvement' in 2022

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