'We're only getting started' - Blackpool school celebrates top 5 in England ranking by Department of Education

A Blackpool school is celebrating an incredible week after being ranked in the top five schools in the entirety of England for improved attainment and results.

South Shore Secondary Academy has excelled since joining the Cidari Multi Academy Trust and taking on a new leadership team in October 2024. Now, new data released last week by the Department for Education has revealed just how far the Blackpool school has come.

According to the latest statistics from the government, South Shore Secondary Academy is now ranked amongst the country’s best-performing schools when based on improvements made to Maths results, English results, and overall attainment.

Reflected in the latest Department of Education data is a number of incredible plaudits for the Blackpool school.

When assessed on Attainment 8 between 2024 and 2026, South Shore Academy was ranked the 5th most-improved secondary school in England, while its performance in Maths saw it ranked as England’s best after a 75% rise in results over the past two years. The school was also named the ninth most-improved secondary school in England based on core GCSE results.

Reacting to South Shore’s fantastic achievements, a spokesperson from the school said in a message posted on social media: “Since joining Cidari in October 2024, and under the leadership of Headteacher Mr Kay, our academy has been on a remarkable journey of improvement.

“South Shore Academy has been on a significant upward trajectory,” it continued. “Behind these results are pupils working hard, staff raising expectations and a school community determined to achieve more. We are incredibly proud of how far we've come and we're even more ambitious about where we're going.

“Higher expectations. Stronger teaching. Hard-working pupils. A school community determined to achieve more. This is what ambition looks like, and we're only getting started.”

Victoria Danson, Deputy Head at the school, earlier this year spoke to The Gazette to explain the change in culture and ethos at South Shore. She said: “I think there’s been a big change in the culture and a big change in the expectations of what the young people can achieve.

“There’s been a lot of work on routines, building good habits with the pupils. The staff have really taken that on board and implemented a lot of what Neil’s brought in. We have significantly improved over the last two years, and we’re predicting more big improvements in that over the next two years.

“We want to build up to be a fantastic school - we very much acknowledge the community we are in. We are here to serve them, but we feel like this is a new chapter, a new era,” Mrs Danson added. “I also think we need to overcome the historic perceptions of this school. For a long time, it struggled with its results and struggled to attract parents and pupils.

“We want parents to be choosing us as a first choice school, we want them to choose to send their children here. We’re trying to create the foundations of future greatness in our young people by developing young people who will not just make a difference in their own lives, but will have a positive impact on the wider community.”