Burnley High School, Burnley
Data last updated 12 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoReport card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Burnley High School excels at creating a welcoming, safe environment where every pupil feels valued and cared for. The school's staff work exceptionally hard to support vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils, with impressive attendance rates and exemplary behaviour throughout the school. Teachers identify and remove barriers to learning effectively, helping pupils with very low starting points make real progress in their studies.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional attendance and behaviour, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs - attendance higher than national averages and consistently improving
- Exemplary pupil conduct and a highly positive school culture where pupils show unwavering respect and are consistently courteous and polite
- Effective support for pupils with very low starting points, removing barriers so they progress well through the curriculum
- Strong inclusion practices with targeted support for disadvantaged pupils using pupil premium funding effectively
- Improved curriculum and teaching with stable staffing and evidence-informed training for staff
Areas for Improvement
- Overall attainment in national tests is not in line with national averages, though this does not reflect the progress pupils make from low starting points
- Systems to check the impact of additional literacy and numeracy support strategies are not precise enough, limiting how quickly pupils overcome learning barriers
- Personal, social, health and economic education curriculum refinement for older pupils is not fully embedded, so their grasp of complex content is still developing
- Tracking information for wider activities and trips is not used sharply enough to ensure disadvantaged pupils take full advantage of opportunities
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
sporting clubs, fashion factory, games, Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, student leadership team, trips and visits, annual school performances
Burnley High School maintains a deep commitment to serve its local community, with pupils enjoying warm and respectful relationships with staff and displaying positive attitudes to learning. The school's mantra 'make it better to be better' reflects the care given to ensure each pupil feels valued and looked after.
At a Glance
41.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
23.5
Avg class size
25
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
97%
Near capacity
579 pupils
600 capacity
21 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Burnley
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Burnley
Admissions Demand - Lancashire
Places available
14,786
Applications
13,820
Got 1st preference
86.3%
Got preferred school
96.8%
Secondary admissions across Lancashire (2025/26)
Inspection History(3)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.01291%
Overall absence
23.56495%
Persistent absence
662
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Burnley Lowerhouse Junior School
Padiham Primary School
St Augustine of Canterbury RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
Rosegrove Infant School
St John the Baptist Roman Catholic Primary School, Padiham
Padiham Green Church of England Primary School
Burnley Ightenhill Primary School
Whittlefield Primary School
Padiham St Leonard's Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Burnley High School
Burnley Lowerhouse Junior School
Padiham Primary School
St Augustine of Canterbury RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
Rosegrove Infant School
St John the Baptist Roman Catholic Primary School, Padiham
Padiham Green Church of England Primary School
Burnley Ightenhill Primary School
Whittlefield Primary School
Padiham St Leonard's Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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