Schools in Lancashire
587 schools in 46 towns: how they were inspected, the best by phase, where places ran out, and the dates to apply.
Lancashire at a glance
- Schools
- 587 478 state primary, 81 state secondary, 8 sixth-form or college and 20 private. DfE Get Information about Schools, 17 October 2026.
- Good or Outstanding
- 89% 383 of the 432 state schools whose latest Ofsted inspection gave a grade. 99 more have the new report card, which gives no single grade. Ofsted, latest inspections.
- Oversubscribed in 2026
- 152 Of 551 state schools with DfE figures for 2026: more first preferences than places at entry (Reception or Year 7). DfE, school applications and offers, 2026.
- Offer distances held
- 0% How far the last place reached on offer day: held for 0 of 559 state schools that take an intake. Lancashire's published offer-day figures.
The best schools in Lancashire
Primary
| Place in Lancashire | School | Town | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Our Lady and All Saints Roman Catholic Primary School, Parbold | Wigan | 1st (1/461) |
| 2 | Roughlee Church of England Primary School | Nelson | Top 1% (2/461) |
| 3 | Mawdesley St Peter's Church of England Primary School | Ormskirk | Top 1% (3/461) |
| 4 | Gisburn Primary School | Clitheroe | Top 1% (4/461) |
| 5 | Poulton-le-Fylde the Breck Primary School | Poulton-le-Fylde | Top 2% (5/461) |
| 6 | Crawford Village Primary School | Skelmersdale | Top 2% (6/461) |
| 7 | Freckleton Church of England Primary School | Preston | Top 2% (7/461) |
| 8 | Crow Orchard Primary School | Skelmersdale | Top 2% (8/461) |
| 9 | Newburgh Church of England Primary School | Wigan | Top 2% (9/461) |
| 10 | Langho and Billington St Leonards Church of England Primary School | Blackburn | Top 3% (10/461) |
Ranked on 2025 KS2 results: the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. The same rank as the full Lancashire primary table (method). Source: DfE, key stage 2 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
Secondary (GCSE)
| Place in Lancashire | School | Town | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School | Rossendale | 1st (1/79) |
| 2 | Lancaster Girls' Grammar School | Lancaster | Top 3% (2/79) |
| 3 | Lancaster Royal Grammar School | Lancaster | Top 4% (3/79) |
| 4 | Clitheroe Royal Grammar School | Clitheroe | Top 6% (4/79) |
| 5 | Preston Muslim Girls High School | Preston | Top 7% (5/79) |
| 6 | St Michael's Church of England High School | Chorley | Top 8% (6/79) |
| 7 | Archbishop Temple Church of England High School | Preston | Top 9% (7/79) |
| 8 | Bishop Rawstorne Church of England Academy | Leyland | Top 11% (8/79) |
| 9 | Broughton High School | Preston | Top 12% (9/79) |
| 10 | Penwortham Girls' High School | Preston | Top 13% (10/79) |
Ranked on 2026 GCSE results: Attainment 8, the average grade across eight GCSEs. The same rank as the full Lancashire secondary table (method). Source: DfE, key stage 4 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
Towns
- Accrington 30 schools · best schools
- Blackburn 16 schools · best schools
- Burnley 42 schools · best schools
- Chorley 45 schools · best schools
- Clitheroe 22 schools · best schools
- Lancaster 33 schools · best schools
- Leyland 22 schools · best schools
- Morecambe 17 schools · best schools
- Nelson 21 schools · best schools
- Ormskirk 26 schools · best schools
- Poulton-le-Fylde 14 schools · best schools
- Preston 153 schools · best schools
Getting in
Starting Reception in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September 2026 | Reception applications open | The council's application form opens. Look at your schools' admission rules and open days now. | Lancashire council |
| 15 January 2027 | Primary applications close | Apply to your home council (where you live), listing your schools in order of preference. A late application is looked at after every on-time one. | Lancashire council |
| 16 April 2027 | Primary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | Lancashire council |
Starting secondary school (Year 7) in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September 2026 | Year 7 applications open | The council's application form opens. Look at your schools' admission rules and open days now. | Lancashire council |
| 31 October 2026 | Secondary applications close | Apply to your home council (where you live), listing your schools in order of preference. A late application is looked at after every on-time one. | Lancashire council |
| 1 March 2027 | Secondary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | Lancashire council |
Every Lancashire admission date · After offer day in Lancashire: replies, waiting lists and appeals
Lancashire catchment maps: the 58 school catchments we hold, with each map's source and year.
Offer-day distances (how far the last place reached) are held for 0 of 559 state schools (0%). Could we get in? sets your distance beside them.
Private schools, fees and childcare
Private school fees in Lancashire: we hold checked fees for 8 of 20 private schools.
Childcare costs, town by town: 411 nurseries and pre-schools in Lancashire, with fees held for 58. Nurseries in Lancashire by Ofsted rating.
Every school in Lancashire
Your children and your home, with the schools, the distances and the dates that are yours.Open your plan
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Sources are named beside each figure. How we know · All sources.