Bowland High, Clitheroe
Bowland High is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Clitheroe, part of Achievement Through Collaboration Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2022. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 25th-highest of the 82 schools in Lancashire with published results, and 1,229th of 3,298 across England. It was 87% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
- Progress (2024)
- Above average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Lancashire (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Bowland High in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at Bowland High averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Lancashire and 47 across England.
44% 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 47.8.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.38: pupils made above 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 40.6, against 49.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.8 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 19 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Geography, Combined Science and Business Studies.
Getting a place at Bowland High
For September 2026 entry, 138 families put Bowland High as their first choice and 413 named it as one of their preferences, for 133 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 8 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Bowland High are Clitheroe Royal Grammar School (2.9 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 70.8); and Ribblesdale School (3.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.9).
Bowland High's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 2 schools.
The trust
Bowland High is one of 6 schools run by Achievement Through Collaboration Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 113 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 84% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 52% to a further education college, 9% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.
Who goes there
10.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 63 pupils (9.8%) received SEN support and 22 (3.4%) 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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Clitheroe Rail Station, about 3.1 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bowland County HS (by), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Bowland High issued 11 suspensions, 1.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Bowland High are Grindleton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (0.6 miles) and Chatburn Church of England Primary School (1.3 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Grindleton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolChatburn Church of England Primary School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its December 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
About
Bowland High is a coeducational secondary school with academy status, located in Grindleton in Lancashire, England. It educates pupils from ages 11–16, and as of 2022 has approximately 550 pupils.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
10.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has improved from 0.19 to 0.38 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 48.5 to 48.4 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has remained stable at around 44% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 48.4 | 43.6% |
| Disadvantaged(12) | - | 40.6 | 16.7% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(98) | - | 49.4 | 46.9% |
| Boys(54) | - | 46.0 | 40.7% |
| Girls(56) | - | 50.8 | 46.4% |
Show more breakdowns (1)
| Non mobile(109) | - | 48.6 | 44% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 113 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
1
Permanent exclusions
0.16%
Exclusion rate
11
Suspensions
1.79%
Suspension rate
9 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 615 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby secondary school
Keep up with Bowland High
Term dates
Bowland High is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Lancashire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bowland High from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bowland High is in Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Bowland High
Will you get a place at Bowland High? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Bowland High's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Bowland High:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Bowland High.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Lancashire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Bowland High for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Lancashire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
87%
Available places
612 pupils
700 places
88 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Clitheroe
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Clitheroe
Across Lancashire council
Places available
14,702
Applications
13,782
Got 1st preference
87.1%
Got preferred school
97.2%
All secondary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
63
SEN Support
22
EHC Plans
13.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
644
Total Pupils
313
Boys
331
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
40
Teachers
16.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,675
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,465
Per pupil
£4121k
Total funding
£57k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.9%
Overall absence
17.0%
Persistent absence
625
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Bowland High
What are GCSE results like at Bowland High?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Bowland High achieved an Attainment 8 score of 48.4. 44% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Bowland High's Ofsted rating?
Bowland High was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2022. At its previous graded inspection in 2016 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Bowland High?
No fixed boundary. When Bowland High is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Bowland High?
Bowland High was not full in 2025: it ran at 87% of its 700 places.
How big are the classes at Bowland High?
Classes at Bowland High average 22.6 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Bowland High?
Bowland High has around 644 pupils on roll. 10% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Bowland High?
6.9% of sessions were missed at Bowland High in 2024/25. 17% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Bowland High?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Bowland High on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Bowland High?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bowland High?
Bowland High is at Riversmead, Sawley Road, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 4QS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)