Sapience Girls Academy
Same Rochdale area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
Rochdale Islamic Academy is a private secondary-stage school in Rochdale, Rochdale, with a published age range of 11-16.
Private school Girls Ages 11-16 No sixth form listed No boarders
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-16
- Ofsted ?
- Did not meet all standards
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
Rochdale Islamic Academy
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-16
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- Ofsted ?
- Did not meet all standards
Overview
Overview
Eight pupils in a small residential property formed the beginning of Rochdale Islamic Academy in 1995. Its move in 2013 to the former Music School building on Greenbank Road marked the growth of its secondary provision, but the central character remains a girls-only Islamic education for ages 11 to 16.
The curriculum combines the National Curriculum with Islamic teaching. English, numeracy and information technology are joined by a broader programme intended to encourage independent, inquisitive and creative learners. Moral awareness, resilience and respect sit alongside the academic work, giving the curriculum a clear faith-based purpose without reducing it to religious study alone.
The facilities include an ICT suite, library, science laboratory, art room, dining facilities and two halls for physical education. Assemblies, the School Council, student leadership, careers advice, extracurricular activity and emotional-wellbeing support add structure beyond lessons. These details suggest a setting where academic work, faith and participation are closely connected.
Applications and fee information are handled directly for the 11-16 provision. The programme is a faith-based environment for Muslim girls and is designed to be accessible to pupils with different learning needs and levels of functioning. Individual support remains tailored to the pupil rather than delivered through one standard arrangement.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 72.1% grade 5+ in English and maths and 48.3 Attainment 8
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Rochdale and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 48.3
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 72.1%
- EBacc APS
- 4.56
- EBacc entry
- 55.8%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Rochdale and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Age range
- 11-16
- Headteacher
- Mr Arif Pirbhai
- Pupil roll
- 80 pupils
- Sixth form
- No
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Greenbank Rd, Rochdale
- Postcode
- OL12 0HZ
- Area
- Rochdale
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mr Arif Pirbhai
School contact
- School phone
- 01706710184
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01706710184
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-16
- Gender
- Girls only
- Boarding
- No boarders
- Day fees
- Check school fees page
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 48.3 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 76.7% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 72.1% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 4.56 EBacc APS
Inspection
Inspection
Did not meet all standards
Latest inspection: 3 December 2024
- Quality of education
- 3
- Behaviour and attitudes
- 2
- Personal development
- 2
- Leadership and management
- 3
Quick summary
- Ofsted inspection outcome: Ofsted's latest independent school standard inspection began on 2024-12-03. The reported outcome is: Did not meet all standards.
- Ofsted safeguarding: The Ofsted dataset records safeguarding as: Yes.
Similar schools and comparisons
Similar schools and comparisons
Nearby schools families also consider
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Manchester Senior Girls School
Same Rochdale area with a comparable local commute
Bnos Yisroel School Manchester
Same Rochdale area with a comparable local commute
Me'or High School
Same Rochdale area with a comparable local commute
Nearby schools with similar results
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
The Pioneers Academy
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
Redstone Academy for Girls
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
Cambridge Muslim Secondary School
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
Shortlist comparisons
Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Rochdale Islamic Academy handle admissions?
Rochdale Islamic Academy handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Rochdale Islamic Academy?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Rochdale Islamic Academy?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Rochdale Islamic Academy?
Rochdale Islamic Academy is currently rated Did not meet all standards following the latest published inspection dated 3 December 2024.