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School rankings · Lancashire

Best schools in Nelson

19 schools in Nelson with the same league rank as the Lancashire league tables: each school's place among its council's schools of the same phase, on the newest year's DfE results, with the best ranked schools within reach of the town centre beside them.

Primary schools

Nelson's own ranking

In NelsonSchoolExpected standardHigher standardLeague rank
1Roughlee Church of England Primary School100%14%Top 1% (2/461) in Lancashire
2Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School88%13%Top 4% (18/461) in Lancashire
3Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy86%7%Top 5% (23/461) in Lancashire
4Lomeshaye Junior School80%8%Top 12% (51/461) in Lancashire
5Blacko Primary School75%17%Top 19% (86/461) in Lancashire
6Walverden Primary School65%12%Top 46% (208/461) in Lancashire
7Marsden Community Primary School65%8%Top 46% (210/461) in Lancashire
8Pendle Primary Academy64%5%Top 50% (228/461) in Lancashire
9Bradley Primary School60%8%(265/461) in Lancashire
10Nelson St Paul's Church of England Primary School58%8%(285/461) in Lancashire
11Nelson St Philip's Church of England Primary School58%5%(289/461) in Lancashire
12Castercliff Primary School57%4%(299/461) in Lancashire
13Holy Saviour Roman Catholic Primary School, Nelson57%4%(299/461) in Lancashire
14Barrowford School50%0%(358/461) in Lancashire
15Great Marsden St John's Primary School A Church of England Academy40%7%(409/461) in Lancashire
16St John Southworth RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy18%3%(453/461) in Lancashire

Not ranked: Whitefield Infant School and Nursery: no published figure for the newest year (DfE hides figures for small year groups), or no published results.

Best ranked within 3 miles

SchoolTownFrom the centreExpected standardHigher standardLeague rank
Newchurch-In-Pendle St Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolBurnley2.8 miles83%0%Top 8% (33/461) in Lancashire
Burnley Stoneyholme Community Primary SchoolBurnley3.0 miles79%7%Top 13% (59/461) in Lancashire
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyColne2.5 miles78%19%Top 15% (65/461) in Lancashire
Trawden Forest Primary SchoolColne2.9 miles76%4%Top 18% (81/461) in Lancashire
Casterton Primary AcademyBurnley1.8 miles72%12%Top 27% (124/461) in Lancashire
Wheatley Lane Methodist Primary SchoolBurnley2.1 miles72%10%Top 28% (126/461) in Lancashire
Briercliffe Primary SchoolBurnley1.5 miles69%0%Top 36% (165/461) in Lancashire
Colne Lord Street SchoolColne1.8 miles64%5%Top 50% (228/461) in Lancashire
Colne Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolColne3.1 miles61%9%(253/461) in Lancashire
Reedley Primary SchoolBurnley1.4 miles61%4%(256/461) in Lancashire

Ranked on 2025 KS2 results: the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths; the share reaching the higher standard breaks a tie. Each school's league rank is its place among its council's schools of the same phase with a figure that year; schools from several councils are listed by the same figure. England: 62%. A dash: no figure published for that school (DfE hides figures for small groups). Source: DfE, key stage 2 school performance tables, 2024/25; the same rank as the league tables (how it is worked out). Distances are as the crow flies.

Secondary schools (GCSE)

Nelson's own ranking

In NelsonSchoolAttainment 8Grade 5+ English and mathsLeague rank
1Pendle Vale College41.828%(53/79) in Lancashire
2Marsden Heights Community College41.541%(56/79) in Lancashire

Best ranked within 6 miles

SchoolTownFrom the centreAttainment 8Grade 5+ English and mathsLeague rank
Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High SchoolColne1.0 miles41.542%(55/79) in Lancashire
Colne Park High SchoolColne2.8 miles41.539%(57/79) in Lancashire
Sir John Thursby Community CollegeBurnley2.3 miles40.329%(62/79) in Lancashire
Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary AcademyBurnley3.1 miles40.134%(63/79) in Lancashire
Burnley High SchoolBurnley4.5 miles38.928%(67/79) in Lancashire
Shuttleworth CollegeBurnley4.6 miles38.038%(68/79) in Lancashire
Unity CollegeBurnley3.8 miles38.031%(69/79) in Lancashire
Colne Primet AcademyColne1.1 miles37.125%(70/79) in Lancashire
West Craven High SchoolBarnoldswick5.3 miles35.022%(75/79) in Lancashire

Ranked on 2026 GCSE results: Attainment 8, the average grade across eight GCSEs; the share with grade 5 or above in English and maths breaks a tie. Each school's league rank is its place among its council's schools of the same phase with a figure that year; schools from several councils are listed by the same figure. England: 47.4. A dash: no figure published for that school (DfE hides figures for small groups). Source: DfE, key stage 4 school performance tables, 2025/26; the same rank as the league tables (how it is worked out). Distances are as the crow flies.

Sixth forms and colleges (A level)

Nelson's own ranking

In NelsonSchoolPoints per A level entryValue addedLeague rank
1East Lancashire Learning Group34.8+0.22Top 45% (8/18) in Lancashire

Best ranked within 6 miles

SchoolTownFrom the centrePoints per A level entryValue addedLeague rank
Burnley CollegeBurnley3.3 miles32.3+0.21(11/18) in Lancashire

Ranked on 2025 A level results: average points per A level entry; value added breaks a tie. Each school's league rank is its place among its council's schools of the same phase with a figure that year; schools from several councils are listed by the same figure. England: 35.0. A dash: no figure published for that school (DfE hides figures for small groups). Source: DfE, 16 to 18 school and college performance tables, 2024/25; the same rank as the league tables (how it is worked out). Distances are as the crow flies.

Private schools (A level)

None in Nelson itself is ranked.

Best ranked within 12 miles

SchoolTownFrom the centrePoints per A level entryLeague rank
Stonyhurst College10.8 miles42.21st (1/5) in Lancashire
Jamiatul-Ilm Wal-Huda UK SchoolBlackburn11.9 miles24.6(2/2) in Blackburn with Darwen

Ranked on 2025 A level results: average points per A level entry. Each school's league rank is its place among its council's schools of the same phase with a figure that year; schools from several councils are listed by the same figure. England (private schools): 43.0. A dash: no figure published for that school (DfE hides figures for small groups). Source: DfE, 16 to 18 school and college performance tables, 2024/25; the same rank as the league tables (how it is worked out). Distances are as the crow flies.

More

League tables: Lancashire Primary · Lancashire GCSE.

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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Sources are named beside each figure. How we know · All sources.