Academy to cut pupil admissions

Date published: 27 February 2015


ONE of Oldham’s newest secondary secondary schools is slashing the number of pupils it admits each year from 300 to 240.

Oasis Academy Oldham says the move reflects its current pupil admissions - which are only around 220 a year and projected to be under 250 in future years.

Consultation on the proposal ends tomorrow, with the new number coming into effect in September 2016.

Oasis Academy Oldham replaced Kaskenmoor and South Chadderton schools in September 2010 and moved into a new £25.5 million building in Hollins two years later. Last year it was the least popular secondary in Oldham in terms of applications per place.

Head teacher David Hayes says the change will allow the school to plan more efficiently: “It’s about being able to make strategic decisions moving forward.”

Nigel Yeo, joint branch secretary of Oldham National Union of Teachers, said Oasis has the most diverse pupil population of any Oldham secondary, with pupils speaking more than 40 different languages.

It also experiences one of the largest fluctuations in pupils, with children from other countries joining and leaving throughout the school year. A significant number do not speak English.

Mr Yeo said the school was trying to create a stable pupil population