The school's close proximity to the Metrolink station means that it attracts many students from outside Prestwich/the Bury local authority, with sizeable numbers of pupils coming from Blackley, Crumpsall and Cheetham Hill in the Manchester Council area.

Most students are representative of minority ethnic groups and a much larger proportion than seen nationally speak English as an additional language.

A lack of urgency in tackling areas for improvement, coupled with weaknesses in governance, means that the school’s effectiveness has declined further since the previous inspection.

[8] This has resulted in the school being forced to turn into an academy by mid 2020, despite an opposition campaign against the academisation being mounted by former student Joshua Harcup.

[9] Previously a community school administered by Bury Metropolitan Borough Council, on 1 June 2020 Prestwich Arts College was forced into academy status and was renamed The Heys School, despite an opposition campaign to the academisation calling for the academisation process to be delayed until the coronavirus pandemic had ended.