Holy Cross Catholic High School, Chorley

From the headteacher's welcome: "Holy Cross Catholic High School continues to provide an outstanding Catholic Education for the children of Chorley and the surrounding area. It is a vibrant and welcoming school dedicated to the formation of successful and rounded young people. Our ethos is founded on Gospel Values and the teachings of Christ which are realised through our daily actions."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, cricket, tennis, basketball, badminton, cross-country, dance and drama.

In 2026, pupils at Holy Cross Catholic High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 55.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Lancashire and 47 across England.

62% 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 55.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.75: pupils made well 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 40.9, against 57.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 16.3 points.

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

For September 2026 entry, 216 families put Holy Cross Catholic High School as their first choice and 604 named it as one of their preferences, for 189 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 40 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Holy Cross Catholic High School are Albany Academy (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.1); Southlands High School (0.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 40.4); Parklands High School (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.1); and St Michael's Church of England High School (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 60.6).

Holy Cross Catholic High School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Of the 187 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 75% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

12.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 7.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Chorley Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Holy Cross School (outside), 60 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Holy Cross Catholic High School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Holy Cross Catholic High School issued 35 suspensions, 3.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Holy Cross Catholic High School are St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, Chorley (0.3 miles); Chorley All Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery Unit (0.4 miles); St George's Church of England Primary School, Chorley (0.5 miles); and Duke Street Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.