Colne Primet Academy, Colne

Ofsted's report card from its 16 June 2026 inspection grades Colne Primet Academy on 6 areas: 4 expected standard and 2 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. "Leaders' strategic approach to improving pupils' attendance has had a positive impact."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have fostered an accepting community."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders demonstrate a sharp understanding of their local context."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Through the thoughtfully designed personal development programme, staff inspire pupils to be the best version of themselves."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils' achievement is inconsistent across classrooms."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "While leaders have ensured that the curriculum is designed coherently, there remains some variability in the quality of teaching."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue their focus on increasing pupils' rates of attendance"; "Leaders should ensure that pupils with gaps in aspects of their foundational knowledge and skills receive the targeted and bespoke support they need to catch up quickly"; "Leaders should ensure their mechanisms to support teachers to identify pupils' gaps in learning and address misconceptions are used consistently well across the school to enable pupils to make stronger progress"; "Leaders should ensure teaching improvements are embedded consistently to raise GCSE attainment and better prepare all pupils, including the vulnerable, for their next steps".

From the headteacher's welcome: "Our vision is for Colne Primet Academy to be a key part in the educational journey of young people in Pendle and East Lancashire. As part of the Pendle Education Trust, a multi academy trust led by Nelson and Colne College, we strive to provide our students the very best educational start in life."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include Duke of Edinburgh and homework club.

Coming up: an open day on Saturday 31 October 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Colne Primet Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 37.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Lancashire and 47 across England.

25% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Lancashire and 47% in England.

That is up from 35.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.77: pupils made well 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 30, against 41.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Business Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 105 families put Colne Primet Academy as their first choice and 567 named it as one of their preferences, for 154 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Colne Primet Academy are Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School (0.2 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 41.5); Pendle Vale College (0.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.8); Colne Park High School (1.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.5); and Marsden Heights Community College (2.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.5).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Colne Primet Academy.

Colne Primet Academy is one of 5 schools run by Pendle Education Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 160 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 75% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 75% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

42% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 34.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (49%) and Asian (34%).

Colne Primet Academy had 63 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Colne Rail Station, about 750 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Primit High School (by), 90 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 185 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Colne Primet Academy issued 510 suspensions, 59.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 6 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Colne Primet Academy are Colne Primet Primary School (under 0.1 miles), Castercliff Primary School (0.6 miles), Colne Lord Street School (0.7 miles) and West Street Community Primary School (1 mile). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.