Best secondary schools in Lancashire (2026)
Lancashire has 100 ranked secondary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, in the top 3% in England. The average Attainment 8 here in 2025 was 45.6, against 46.1 for England. 9 are in England's top 10%, and 8 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 4 grammar schools.
| Rank | School | Attainment 8 (2023–2025 average) | Attainment 8 2025 | Trend | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 3% in England |
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School Clitheroe · Grammar |
73.2 | 74.4 | 96% | Outstanding | |
2 Top 3% in England |
Lancaster Royal Grammar School Lancaster · Grammar · Christian |
72.8 | 74.1 | 99% | Good | |
3 Top 3% in England |
Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School Rawtenstall · Grammar |
72.7 | 73.3 | 97% | Inadequate | |
4 Top 3% in England |
Lancaster Girls' Grammar School Lancaster · Grammar · Girls |
72.9 | 73.4 | 92% | Good | |
5 Top 4% in England |
Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) · Girls · Muslim |
72.1 | 72.3 | 93% | Outstanding | |
6 Top 6% in England |
Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) · Boys · Muslim |
62.3 | 62.5 | 81% | Outstanding | |
7 Top 9% in England |
St Michael's Church of England High School Chorley · Church of England |
58.8 | 58.9 | 72% | Good | |
8 Top 10% in England |
Bishop Rawstorne Church of England Academy Croston · Church of England |
58.3 | 59.3 | 72% | Report card | |
9 Top 10% in England |
Broughton High School Broughton (Preston) |
57.6 | 59.3 | 76% | Outstanding | |
10 Top 11% in England |
Preston Muslim Girls High School Preston · Girls · Muslim |
57.6 | 56.2 | 58% | No rating | |
11 Top 12% in England |
Penwortham Girls' High School Penwortham · Girls |
56.6 | 52.9 | 55% | Outstanding | |
12 Top 15% in England |
Holy Cross Catholic High School Chorley · Roman Catholic |
54.7 | 55.0 | 67% | No rating | |
13 Top 15% in England |
Archbishop Temple Church of England High School Fulwood · Church of England |
55.6 | 55.4 | 56% | Not judged | |
14 Top 16% in England |
St George's School A Church of England Academy Blackpool · Church of England |
53.4 | 55.5 | 70% | No rating | |
15 Top 17% in England |
All Hallows Catholic High School Penwortham · Roman Catholic |
55.3 | 55.6 | 58% | Outstanding | |
16 Top 18% in England |
Eden Boys' School, Preston Preston · Boys · Muslim |
52.5 | 49.8 | 68% | No rating | |
17 Top 19% in England |
St Bede's Catholic High School Ormskirk · Roman Catholic |
53.5 | 55.0 | 65% | Not judged | |
18 Top 21% in England |
Ripley St Thomas Church of England Academy Lancaster · Church of England |
52.0 | 50.7 | 58% | Outstanding | |
19 Top 23% in England |
Hutton Church of England Grammar School Hutton (South Ribble) · Boys · Church of England |
51.6 | 50.1 | 52% | Report card | |
20 Top 24% in England |
Balshaw's Church of England High School Leyland · Church of England |
51.7 | 52.3 | 57% | Good | |
21 Top 27% in England |
St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) · Church of England |
50.9 | 50.8 | 53% | No rating | |
22 Top 33% in England |
Accrington St Christopher's Church of England High School Church · Church of England |
48.9 | 50.7 | 60% | Report card | |
23 Top 35% in England |
Hodgson Academy Poulton-le-Fylde |
48.8 | 49.5 | 50% | Good | |
24 Top 35% in England |
St Bede's Catholic High School, Lytham Lytham St Anne's · Roman Catholic |
49.1 | 48.3 | 49% | Not judged | |
25 Top 35% in England |
Our Lady's Catholic High School Fulwood · Roman Catholic |
49.6 | 50.0 | 43% | Good | |
26 Top 35% in England |
Burscough Priory Academy Burscough |
48.5 | 48.8 | 52% | Good | |
27 Top 36% in England |
Up Holland High School Orrell |
48.8 | 48.8 | 50% | No rating | |
28 Top 36% in England |
Maharishi Free School West Lancashire |
49.4 | 54.1 | 55% | Not judged | |
29 Top 39% in England |
Bowland High Ribble Valley |
48.6 | 47.8 | 43% | Good | |
30 Top 39% in England |
Rivington and Blackrod High School Chorley · Church of England |
47.8 | 49.2 | 53% | Good | |
31 Top 40% in England |
Whitworth Community High School Whitworth |
47.7 | 50.3 | 63% | No rating | |
32 Top 42% in England |
Tarleton Academy Tarleton and Hesketh Bank |
47.4 | 46.3 | 48% | No rating | |
33 Top 42% in England |
Corpus Christi Catholic High School Fulwood · Roman Catholic |
48.0 | 50.2 | 51% | Not judged | |
34 Top 44% in England |
Pleckgate High School Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) |
47.1 | 49.2 | 47% | Outstanding | |
35 Top 44% in England |
Parklands High School Chorley |
47.7 | 44.4 | 35% | No rating | |
36 Top 44% in England |
Saint Aidan's Church of England High School Preesall and Knott End-on-Sea · Church of England |
47.3 | 47.0 | 44% | No rating | |
37 Top 46% in England |
Lostock Hall Academy Bamber Bridge |
46.7 | 47.6 | 46% | No rating | |
38 Top 47% in England |
St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) · Roman Catholic |
46.0 | 47.4 | 54% | Not judged | |
39 Top 48% in England |
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) |
47.3 | 47.0 | 37% | Good | |
40 Top 48% in England |
St Augustine's Roman Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy Billington (Ribble Valley) · Roman Catholic |
46.5 | 44.9 | 42% | Good | |
41 Top 50% in England |
Haslingden High School and Sixth Form Haslingden |
45.7 | 44.2 | 42% | Report card | |
42 Bottom 50% in England |
St Cecilia's RC High School Longridge (Ribble Valley) · Roman Catholic |
46.3 | 46.2 | 42% | Not judged | |
43 Bottom 50% in England |
Millfield School Thornton (Wyre) |
46.5 | 48.5 | 45% | Good | |
44 Bottom 47% in England |
Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School Bamber Bridge · Roman Catholic |
45.0 | 46.1 | 41% | No rating | |
45 Bottom 44% in England |
Longridge High School Longridge (Ribble Valley) |
44.6 | 44.6 | 42% | Requires improvement | |
46 Bottom 44% in England |
Ormskirk School Ormskirk |
43.9 | 42.4 | 40% | Not judged | |
47 Bottom 44% in England |
Garstang Community Academy Bowgreave |
44.1 | 44.8 | 45% | Requires improvement | |
48 Bottom 41% in England |
Baines School Poulton-le-Fylde |
44.2 | 45.8 | 41% | Report card | |
49 Bottom 40% in England |
Albany Academy Chorley |
44.4 | 43.7 | 34% | Good | |
50 Bottom 39% in England |
Darwen Vale High School Darwen |
43.2 | 43.1 | 40% | Good | |
51 Bottom 39% in England |
Carr Hill High School Kirkham |
43.5 | 43.5 | 40% | Requires improvement | |
52 Bottom 38% in England |
St Mary's Catholic High School Leyland · Roman Catholic |
43.3 | 45.0 | 44% | No rating | |
53 Bottom 36% in England |
Penwortham Priory Academy Penwortham |
43.0 | 43.2 | 38% | Good | |
54 Bottom 34% in England |
Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School Colne · Roman Catholic |
42.5 | 44.1 | 43% | Report card | |
55 Bottom 34% in England |
Ribblesdale School Clitheroe |
42.8 | 43.5 | 38% | Not judged | |
56 Bottom 33% in England |
Mount Carmel Roman Catholic High School, Hyndburn Accrington · Roman Catholic |
42.8 | 42.7 | 38% | Report card | |
57 Bottom 32% in England |
Cardinal Allen Catholic High School, Fleetwood Fleetwood · Roman Catholic |
42.3 | 43.5 | 38% | Report card | |
58 Bottom 30% in England |
Ashton Community Science College Preston |
42.3 | 44.6 | 38% | No rating | |
59 Bottom 30% in England |
The Hollins Accrington |
41.9 | 40.7 | 34% | No rating | |
60 Bottom 28% in England |
Academy@Worden Leyland |
41.0 | 43.2 | 42% | Not judged | |
61 Bottom 26% in England |
Colne Park High School Colne |
40.1 | 38.0 | 38% | Report card | |
62 Bottom 25% in England |
Blackburn Central High School Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) |
40.9 | 41.0 | 35% | No rating | |
63 Bottom 24% in England |
Marsden Heights Community College Brierfield |
40.6 | 40.3 | 33% | Good | |
64 Bottom 23% in England |
Shuttleworth College Padiham |
38.8 | 39.5 | 39% | Not judged | |
65 Bottom 22% in England |
Pendle Vale College Nelson (Pendle) |
41.4 | 42.5 | 32% | Report card | |
66 Bottom 21% in England |
Accrington Academy Accrington · Christian |
39.9 | 39.4 | 39% | Not judged | |
67 Bottom 20% in England |
St Mary's Catholic Academy Blackpool · Roman Catholic |
41.3 | 41.5 | 29% | Good | |
68 Bottom 20% in England |
Unity College Burnley |
39.9 | 40.3 | 34% | Requires improvement | |
69 Bottom 20% in England |
Southlands High School Chorley |
40.5 | 42.1 | 28% | Requires improvement | |
70 Bottom 20% in England |
Alder Grange School Rawtenstall |
39.8 | 37.0 | 25% | Report card | |
71 Bottom 19% in England |
Burnley High School Burnley |
39.6 | 38.6 | 30% | Report card | |
72 Bottom 19% in England |
Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy Burnley · Roman Catholic |
39.8 | 37.6 | 27% | Report card | |
73 Bottom 19% in England |
Moor Park High School Preston |
39.3 | 39.3 | 31% | Report card | |
74 Bottom 19% in England |
Sir John Thursby Community College Burnley |
39.9 | 41.0 | 31% | Good | |
75 Bottom 18% in England |
Carnforth High School Carnforth |
40.5 | 39.8 | 29% | Report card | |
76 Bottom 17% in England |
Our Lady's Catholic College Lancaster · Roman Catholic |
39.1 | 41.3 | 35% | Requires improvement | |
77 Bottom 16% in England |
Witton Park Academy Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) |
38.2 | 40.3 | 37% | Report card | |
78 Bottom 16% in England |
Lathom High School : A Technology College Skelmersdale |
38.7 | 41.5 | 31% | Good | |
79 Bottom 15% in England |
Wellfield Academy Leyland |
37.7 | 37.7 | 34% | Requires improvement | |
80 Bottom 13% in England |
Fulwood Academy Fulwood |
38.2 | 41.4 | 32% | Good | |
81 Bottom 11% in England |
Montgomery Academy Blackpool |
37.6 | 40.0 | 32% | Good | |
82 Bottom 11% in England |
Darwen Aldridge Community Academy Darwen |
37.1 | 36.5 | 24% | Not judged | |
83 Bottom 11% in England |
All Saints' Roman Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy Rawtenstall · Roman Catholic |
37.4 | 35.3 | 19% | Requires improvement | |
84 Bottom 9% in England |
Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) · Roman Catholic |
37.2 | 37.2 | 22% | Requires improvement | |
85 Bottom 8% in England |
West Craven High School Barnoldswick |
35.2 | 37.4 | 34% | Requires improvement | |
86 Bottom 8% in England |
The Hyndburn Academy Rishton |
36.3 | 37.4 | 25% | Report card | |
87 Bottom 7% in England |
Aldridge Utc Darwen Darwen |
35.5 | 34.7 | 28% | Report card | |
88 Bottom 7% in England |
Fleetwood High School Fleetwood |
35.5 | 35.8 | 26% | Good | |
89 Bottom 7% in England |
Lancaster High School Lancaster |
35.4 | 35.6 | 25% | Good | |
90 Bottom 6% in England |
Armfield Academy Blackpool |
35.6 | 35.6 | 20% | Good | |
91 Bottom 6% in England |
Christ The King Catholic High School Preston · Roman Catholic |
35.9 | 35.9 | 20% | Inadequate | |
92 Bottom 6% in England |
Rhyddings Oswaldtwistle |
35.4 | 36.5 | 22% | Not judged | |
93 Bottom 5% in England |
Morecambe Bay Academy Morecambe |
35.4 | 36.8 | 22% | Good | |
94 Bottom 5% in England |
Colne Primet Academy Colne |
34.5 | 35.4 | 24% | Requires improvement | |
95 Bottom 5% in England |
The Valley Leadership Academy Rawtenstall |
32.2 | 32.6 | 30% | Report card | |
96 Bottom 5% in England |
Bay Leadership Academy Morecambe |
33.7 | 36.8 | 29% | Good | |
97 Bottom 4% in England |
Blackpool Aspire Academy Blackpool |
33.8 | 36.7 | 28% | Requires improvement | |
98 Bottom 4% in England |
Highfield Leadership Academy Blackpool |
33.2 | 30.0 | 20% | Requires improvement | |
99 Bottom 4% in England |
Walton-Le-Dale High School Bamber Bridge |
33.1 | 33.1 | 23% | Requires improvement | |
100 Bottom 1% in England |
Unity Academy Blackpool Blackpool |
27.7 | 29.3 | 18% | Not judged |
Best secondary school in each town
- Lancaster · best: Lancaster Royal Grammar School
- Rawtenstall · best: Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School
- Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) · best: Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School
- Chorley · best: St Michael's Church of England High School
- Preston · best: Preston Muslim Girls High School
- Penwortham · best: Penwortham Girls' High School
- Fulwood · best: Archbishop Temple Church of England High School
- Blackpool · best: St George's School A Church of England Academy
- Leyland · best: Balshaw's Church of England High School
- Orrell · best: Up Holland High School
- Bamber Bridge · best: Lostock Hall Academy
- Darwen · best: Darwen Vale High School
- Colne · best: Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School
- Accrington · best: Mount Carmel Roman Catholic High School, Hyndburn
- Burnley · best: Unity College
Also see
Questions
What is the best secondary school in Lancashire?
On exam results over the last three years, Clitheroe Royal Grammar School is the top-ranked secondary school in Lancashire, in the top 3% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.