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Foundation school · Lancashire

Unity College

  • 11–16Ages
  • 1,402Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • 135003URN

Townley Holmes, Burnley, BB11 3DF · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Feb 2024 Previous framework

Requires improvement
  • Quality of education
  • Behaviour and attitudes
  • Personal development
  • Leadership and management
What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
2.5per place
close to Lancashire median (2.5)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in LancashireSelective

648 applications for 263 places · 45th of 81 in Lancashire
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
38.0of 90
71st of 81 in Lancashire
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Overall effectiveness: Requires improvement · 20 February 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
AreaOutstandingGoodRequires improvementInadequate
Quality of educationRequires improvement
Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
Personal developmentRequires improvement
Leadership and managementRequires improvement

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
2.5applications per place, Year 7
close to Lancashire median (2.5) 0.2 above England median (2.2)

648 applications · 263 places offered · 224 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

  1. 2026 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
  2. 2025 2.3; Lancashire median median 2.7
  3. 2024 2.6; Lancashire median median 2.6
  4. 2023 2.7; Lancashire median median 2.6
  5. 2022 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.5
  6. 2021 2.7; Lancashire median median 2.6
  7. 2020 3.0; Lancashire median median 2.8
  8. 2019 3.1; Lancashire median median 2.7
  9. 2018 2.9; Lancashire median median 2.6
  10. 2017 2.8; Lancashire median median 2.7
  11. 2016 2.7; Lancashire median median 2.7
  12. 2015 2.8; Lancashire median median 2.7
  13. 2014 2.6; Lancashire median median 2.6
  • This school
  • Lancashire median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20262636482.52240.85
Sep 20252986962.32210.74
Sep 20242977652.62840.96
Sep 20232998022.72940.98
Sep 20222937332.52670.91
Sep 20213007982.72890.96
Sep 20202698013.03021.12
Sep 20192698303.13251.21
Sep 20182386802.92531.06
Sep 20172376522.82591.09
Sep 20162396492.72501.05
Sep 20152105902.82301.10
Sep 20142105542.61980.94

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

287 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)38.071st of 81 in Lancashire
Grade 5 or above in English and maths31%66th of 81 in Lancashire
Grade 4 or above in English and maths47%
  • This school
  • Lancashire median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.21
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)28738.031%47%–
2024/2527640.334%54%–
2023/2426339.834%49%−0.21
2022/2322839.629%46%−0.30

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

  • 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
Foundation school
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
135003 · 888/4806
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,500 pupils · 1,402 on roll
Free school meals
34.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 August 2006
Address
Townley Holmes, Burnley, BB11 3DF
Local authority
Lancashire · Burnley

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