Team’s passion is ‘world class’ education for all
BRINGING a ‘world class’ education to young pupils in Milnrow is the winning vision behind Hollingworh Academy, which has been named the best in Rochdale according to the 2018 Real Schools Guide.
The Guide, published by the data unit from Reach - publisher of the Rochdale Observer – uses 51 different measures, put together from the latest publicly-available data and broken into four categories – attainment, teaching, attendance and outcomes.
Our system aims to move beyond the limited measurements of exam results and give parents a better idea of which state schools will help their child prosper, no matter what their background may be. The guide factors in other things as well like whether all pupils are making progress, what attendance is like, the ratio of teachers to pupils and whether students go on to further education or jobs.
The aspiration of leaders at Hollingworth Academy has been a recipe for success for almost a decade at this consistently good secondary.
The larger-than-average mixed school, also known as a business and enterprise college, was rated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in 2008.
Inspectors were full of praise for the progress pupils of all abilities make and the standard of leadership.
Hollingworth isn’t just about exam results or core academic subjects. In recent years pupils had the chance to learn and gain their Level 1 in British Sign Language.
Darren Randle, headteacher of Hollingworth, said: “We are passionate about creating a comprehensive school which works to ensure that all children make great progress in their learning, have a great attitude to learning and high aspirations for the future.
“We have brilliant staff and governing body who are highly committed to achieving these goals.
“We are incredibly proud of the achievements of our pupils and strive to provide them with an environment which supports their wider cultural, social and intellectual development.”
In September 2011 Hollingworth Academy moved to a brand new building boasting stateof-the-art facilities in all subject areas and a modern environment for pupils to learn in.
The £25m investment has provided students with broader opportunities and has helped them to develop their academic, cultural and sporting interests across the board.
Early examinations are also available for youngsters looking to get ahead of the game in their education.
Hollingworth have a commitment to stretch high flyers to their full potential and do this by offering accelerated GCSE courses in Key Stage 3 and advanced level (AS) courses in Key Stage 4.
Links with other colleges, universities and businesses mean pupils get a great insight into future pathways.