Graded inspection · Jun 2024 Previous framework
- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
This schoolOther secondary schools in Blackburn with Darwen
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Outstanding | Good | Requires improvement | Inadequate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of education | Outstanding | |||
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding | |||
| Personal development | Outstanding | |||
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
Inspection history
- 5 June 2024Graded inspection: Outstanding
- 30 March 2023Ungraded inspection: School remains Outstanding (Concerns)
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 entry698 applications · 265 places offered · 281 named it first
- 2026 2.6; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.5
- 2025 2.4; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.4
- 2024 2.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.5
- 2023 2.2; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.2
- 2022 1.9; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.1
- 2021 1.8; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.8
- 2020 1.9; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.9
- 2019 1.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.2
- 2018 1.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.2
- 2017 1.4; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.2
- 2016 1.2; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.3
- 2015 1.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.4; as the previous school
- 2014 2.0; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.9; as the previous school
- This school
- Blackburn with Darwen median
Dashed bars: as Pleckgate High School Mathematics and Computing College (URN 119715), the previous school.
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.
| Entry | Places | Applications | Per place | First preferences | First-pref. ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 265 | 698 | 2.6 | 281 | 1.06 |
| Sep 2025 | 268 | 643 | 2.4 | 244 | 0.91 |
| Sep 2024 | 262 | 659 | 2.5 | 237 | 0.90 |
| Sep 2023 | 264 | 571 | 2.2 | 195 | 0.74 |
| Sep 2022 | 274 | 525 | 1.9 | 171 | 0.62 |
| Sep 2021 | 273 | 502 | 1.8 | 183 | 0.67 |
| Sep 2020 | 273 | 516 | 1.9 | 174 | 0.64 |
| Sep 2019 | 259 | 390 | 1.5 | 138 | 0.53 |
| Sep 2018 | 236 | 356 | 1.5 | 126 | 0.53 |
| Sep 2017 | 219 | 303 | 1.4 | 108 | 0.49 |
| Sep 2016 | 233 | 268 | 1.2 | 85 | 0.36 |
| Sep 2015 * | 205 | 302 | 1.5 | 86 | 0.42 |
| Sep 2014 * | 265 | 538 | 2.0 | 156 | 0.59 |
How did pupils do at GCSE?
DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisionalEvery year as a table
| Year | Pupils | Attainment 8 | 5+ Eng & maths | 4+ Eng & maths | Progress 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (prov.) | 263 | 46.8 | 43% | 65% | – |
| 2024/25 | 274 | 49.2 | 47% | 71% | – |
| 2023/24 | 259 | 44.0 | 43% | 62% | −0.01 |
| 2022/23 | 248 | 48.0 | 52% | 74% | +0.28 |
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
- Pleckgate High SchoolThis schoolThis schoolOutstanding20242.6applications per place 46.8Attainment 8
- 1.7 km · Blackburn with DarwenSome aspects not as strong20253.3applications per place 44.3Attainment 8
- 2.2 km · Blackburn with DarwenOutstanding20223.4applications per place 68.7Attainment 8
- 2.8 km · Blackburn with DarwenRemains Good20233.5applications per place 49.8Attainment 8
- 2.9 km · Blackburn with DarwenOutstanding20243.1applications per place 62.6Attainment 8
- 3.2 km · Blackburn with Darwen20261.8applications per place 39.9Attainment 8
- 3.5 km · Blackburn with DarwenRemains Good20221.8applications per place 41.0Attainment 8
- 3.7 km · Blackburn with DarwenRequires improvement20231.3applications per place 36.6Attainment 8
- 4.5 km · Lancashire20261.8applications per place 37.1Attainment 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
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 142088 · 889/4005
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Capacity
- 1,350 pupils · 1,339 on roll
- Free school meals
- 24.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 1 February 2016
- Replaced
- Pleckgate High School Mathematics and Computing College (URN 119715)
- Address
- Pleckgate Road, Blackburn, BB1 8QA
- Local authority
- Blackburn with Darwen
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources