Accrington St Christopher's Church of England High School, Accrington

Ofsted's report card from its 12 May 2026 inspection grades Accrington St Christopher's Church of England High School on 7 areas: 1 strong standard and 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders track pupils' attendance closely."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils achieve well."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders are well informed about the quality of the curriculum and teaching."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have high expectations of all pupils."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders, including governors, have a precise knowledge of the school's strengths and areas for improvement."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have constructed an ambitious personal development programme."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have established a suitable curriculum that supports students' academic and personal development."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that their chosen strategies to assess pupils' knowledge and address their misconceptions are embedded consistently across all subjects and key stages"; "Leaders should focus on raising achievement for students in the sixth form by ensuring that learning activities continue to promote a greater depth of knowledge".

In 2026, pupils at Accrington St Christopher's Church of England High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Lancashire and 47 across England.

56% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Lancashire and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 50.7.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.26: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 41.9, against 51.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 246 families put Accrington St Christopher's Church of England High School as their first choice and 757 named it as one of their preferences, for 190 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 60 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Accrington St Christopher's Church of England High School are Accrington Academy (0.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39.8); Mount Carmel Roman Catholic High School, Hyndburn (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.5); Rhyddings (1.2 miles, Attainment 8 33.9); and The Hollins (1.9 miles, Attainment 8 41.9).

Accrington St Christopher's Church of England High School's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Of the 208 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 87% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 61% to a further education college, 8% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 102 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 59% went on to university or other higher education, 3% to apprenticeships and 21% into work. 30% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

14.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 6.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (85%) and Asian (6%).

In 2026, 106 pupils (8.3%) received SEN support and 49 (3.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Accrington Rail Station, about 1010 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Christophers HS (by), 80 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Accrington St Christopher's Church of England High School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 467 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Accrington St Christopher's Church of England High School issued 86 suspensions, 6.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Accrington St Christopher's Church of England High School are St Nicholas Church of England Primary School (0.3 miles); Accrington St Mary Magdalen's Church of England Primary School (0.4 miles); Accrington Hyndburn Park Primary School (0.4 miles); and Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Church (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.