Colne Park High School, Colne

Ofsted's report card from its 21 April 2026 inspection grades Colne Park High School on 6 areas: 3 expected standard and 3 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Recently, leaders have taken effective action to improve the attendance of all pupils."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders ensure that inclusion is at the heart of their decisions."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders are very keen for pupils to understand the wider world."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Many pupils do not achieve in line with their peers in national examinations at key stage 4."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "The curriculum is well thought out and follows a coherent structure."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Leaders, including trustees and governors, sometimes lack clarity about what steps should be taken to drive improvements at the school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teachers receive the necessary training and support to ensure that lessons are of a consistently high standard across all year groups and subjects"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers regularly check pupils' understanding. They should ensure that gaps in learning are identified and addressed effectively. Leaders should ensure this enables pupils to achieve their potential"; "Leaders, including trustees and governors, should improve the systems for monitoring the impact of their actions to drive improvements across the school".

In its own words: "Colne Park High School is a happy and successful community where every student is recognised as an individual, and where we all aim to be the best we can be."

In 2026, pupils at Colne Park High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Lancashire and 47 across England.

39% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Lancashire and 47% in England.

That is up from 38 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.25: 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 33.6, against 45.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 12.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.

For September 2026 entry, 209 families put Colne Park High School as their first choice and 462 named it as one of their preferences, for 212 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 10 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Colne Park High School are Colne Primet Academy (1.7 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 37.1); Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School (1.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 41.5); Pendle Vale College (2.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.8); and West Craven High School (3.5 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 35).

Colne Park High School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Colne Park High School is one of 5 schools run by Apex Collaborative Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 214 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 77% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 75% to a further education college, 7% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

4.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 129 pupils (13%) received SEN support and 18 (1.8%) 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 Colne Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Park High School (opposite), 120 metres away.

In 2024/25, Colne Park High School issued 593 suspensions, 57.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Colne Park High School are Park Primary School (0.4 miles); Colne Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (0.5 miles); Foulridge Saint Michael and All Angels CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School (0.7 miles); and Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.