Armfield Academy
Free schools · 1,221 pupils
83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 35.6
Academy converter
St Mary's Catholic Academy
- Pupils on roll
- 1,188of 1,199 places
- Free school meals
- 35.2%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 208
- Ofsted
- Good, 10 May 2022Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: St Mary's Catholic College (URN 119778, until 1 September 2014).
What the data says
Of the 195 pupils who finished Year 11 at St Mary's Catholic Academy in 2023, 34% stayed on in St Mary's Catholic Academy’s own sixth form (Blackpool average 6%), 32% went to a further education college and 7% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 76 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 66% went to university (Blackpool 26%, England 37%), and 8% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Religious Studies is unusually popular at GCSE: 96% of the year group took it, against 31% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 41.5 against 46.1 across England and 37.0 in Blackpool, with 29% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Blackpool and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | St Mary's Catholic Academy | Blackpool | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 195 | 1,331 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 92% | 84% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 82% | 77% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 34% | 6% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 15% | 24% | 13% |
| — further education college | 32% | 44% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 3% | 3% |
| Employment | 4% | 5% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 5% | 11% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 3% | 5% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | St Mary's Catholic Academy | Blackpool | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 76 | 2,308 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 93% | 75% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 66% | 26% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 8% | 10% | 19% |
| Further education | 1% | 5% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 9% | 7% |
| Employment | 25% | 34% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 5% | 19% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | St Mary's Catholic Academy | Blackpool | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 41.5 | 37.0 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 29% | 30% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 55% | 51% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 12% | 18% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.37 | 3.16 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 42% | 48% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 33.8 | 29.7 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 47.1 | 43.9 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 27% | 11% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 206 | 99% | 89% | 12% | 20% | 67% |
| Mathematics | 206 | 99% | 88% | 5% | 22% | 58% |
| Religious Studies | 200 | 96% | 31% | 16% | 32% | 60% |
| English Literature | 199 | 96% | 86% | 10% | 21% | 69% |
| Combined Science | 155 | 75% | 65% | 6% | 9% | 50% |
| History | 85 | 41% | 41% | 8% | 26% | 41% |
| Physics | 51 | 25% | 23% | 24% | 46% | 67% |
| Chemistry | 51 | 25% | 23% | 25% | 47% | 69% |
| Biology | 51 | 25% | 23% | 25% | 45% | 63% |
| Geography | 45 | 22% | 41% | 20% | 25% | 56% |
| Fine Art | 41 | 20% | 9% | 2% | 28% | 73% |
| Photography | 34 | 16% | 6% | 0% | 19% | 59% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 30 | 14% | 8% | 3% | 21% | 37% |
| French | 29 | 14% | 18% | 28% | 29% | 79% |
| Music | 23 | 11% | 5% | 9% | 33% | 48% |
| Polish | 22 | 11% | 1% | 82% | 84% | 95% |
| Media Studies | 19 | 9% | 4% | 16% | 20% | 58% |
| Textiles | 13 | 6% | 2% | 0% | 27% | 46% |
| Drama | 11 | 5% | 7% | 9% | 27% | 64% |
| Computer Science | 6 | 3% | 13% | 17% | 30% | 100% |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Business Management | 70 | 100% | — |
| Health Studies | 40 | 65% | — |
| Sports Studies | 29 | 47% | — |
| Childcare Skills | 23 | 37% | — |
| Art and Design | 18 | 29% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 10 | 16% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | St Mary's Catholic Academy | Blackpool | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 119 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 62 | 629 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 31.18 | 32.79 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B- | C+ | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 19% | 9% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 18 | 29% | 23% |
| Biology | 14 | 23% | 20% |
| Mathematics | 14 | 23% | 31% |
| Chemistry | 13 | 21% | 17% |
| Physics | 11 | 18% | 12% |
| English Language | 11 | 18% | 4% |
| Religious Studies | 10 | 16% | 4% |
| Photography | 8 | 13% | 3% |
| Sociology | 7 | 11% | 13% |
| English Literature | 7 | 11% | 11% |
| Geography | 6 | 10% | 10% |
| Media Studies | 6 | 10% | 4% |
| Arabic | — | — | 0% |
| Graphic Communication | — | — | 2% |
| French | — | — | 1% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| Computer Science | — | — | 5% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Science | VRQ Level 3 | 20 | 32% | — |
| Business Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 16 | 26% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 9 | 15% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma at Level 3 | 7 | 11% | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 7 | 11% | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
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St George's School A Church of England Academy
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Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.