Community school · Lancashire

Ribblesdale School

4–16Ages
1,437Pupils
All-throughPhase
119716URN

Queens Road, Clitheroe, BB7 1EJ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jul 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.4per place

close to Lancashire median (2.5)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in LancashireSelective

670 applications for 276 places · 47th of 81 in Lancashire

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

41.9of 90

Lancashire 43.8 England 46.0

51st of 81 in Lancashire

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 1 July 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.4applications per place, Year 7

close to Lancashire median (2.5) 0.2 above England median (2.2)

670 applications · 276 places offered · 257 named it first

2026 2.4; Lancashire median median 2.6
2025 2.7; Lancashire median median 2.7
2024 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
2023 2.7; Lancashire median median 2.6
2022 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.5
2021 2.4; Lancashire median median 2.6
2020 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.8
2019 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.7
2018 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
2017 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.7
2016 2.3; Lancashire median median 2.7
2015 2.1; Lancashire median median 2.7
2014 2.1; Lancashire median median 2.6

This school
Lancashire median

Reception entry, September 2026: 4.2 per place (100 applications for 24 places).

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	276	670	2.4	257	0.93
Sep 2025	271	728	2.7	258	0.95
Sep 2024	279	695	2.5	245	0.88
Sep 2023	263	697	2.7	242	0.92
Sep 2022	282	623	2.2	271	0.96
Sep 2021	285	694	2.4	273	0.96
Sep 2020	279	705	2.5	272	0.97
Sep 2019	285	719	2.5	252	0.88
Sep 2018	255	636	2.5	247	0.97
Sep 2017	253	562	2.2	198	0.78
Sep 2016	247	564	2.3	217	0.88
Sep 2015	256	531	2.1	209	0.82
Sep 2014	255	529	2.1	186	0.73

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

277 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)41.951st of 81 in Lancashire

Lancashire 43.8 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths40%40th of 81 in Lancashire

Lancashire 39% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths60%

Lancashire 64% England 66%

This school
Lancashire median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.25

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	277	41.9	40%	60%	–
2024/25	281	43.5	38%	67%	–
2023/24	280	43.2	41%	61%	−0.25
2022/23	276	41.7	32%	59%	−0.34

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Ribblesdale SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.4applications per place 41.9Attainment 8
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
0.9 km · Lancashire

Outstanding2022

2.6applications per place 70.8Attainment 8 Selective
Bowland High
5.6 km · Lancashire

Good2022

3.1applications per place 48.4Attainment 8
St Augustine's Roman Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy
6.2 km · Lancashire

Good2023

2.6applications per place 45.0Attainment 8
Shuttleworth College
9.8 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.3applications per place 38.0Attainment 8
Burnley High School
10.2 km · Lancashire

2026

4.6applications per place 38.9Attainment 8
The Hyndburn Academy
10.8 km · Lancashire

2026

1.8applications per place 37.1Attainment 8
Accrington Academy
11.8 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.5applications per place 39.8Attainment 8
Accrington St Christopher's Church of England High School
11.8 km · Lancashire

2026

4.0applications per place 50.5Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: All-through
URN · DfE number: 119716 · 888/4013
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,635 pupils · 1,437 on roll
Free school meals: 17.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Queens Road, Clitheroe, BB7 1EJ
Local authority: Lancashire · Ribble Valley

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources