Lancaster High School, Lancaster

In its own words: "To create opportunities and experiences which empower all our learners to develop alongside our values of ambition, kindness and service, ensuring personal success, enabling individual progress and preparing for life beyond school A united pupil and staff body driven by a shared commitment to academic excellence."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Firstly, may I take this opportunity to welcome you to Lancaster High School and be the first to say how delighted we are that you have chosen to visit and see what we have to offer. It is an absolute privilege to be the Headteacher of this wonderful school."

In 2026, pupils at Lancaster High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Lancashire and 47 across England.

37% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Lancashire and 47% in England.

That is up from 35.6 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.61: 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 37.8, against 46.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 102 families put Lancaster High School as their first choice and 354 named it as one of their preferences, for 122 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 8 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Lancaster High School are Lancaster Royal Grammar School (0.6 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 71.6); Our Lady's Catholic College (0.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 41.1); Lancaster Girls' Grammar School (1 mile, Good, selective, Attainment 8 72.1); and Ripley St Thomas Church of England Academy (1.3 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 49.1).

Lancaster High School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Lancaster High School is one of 6 schools run by The Bay Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43.2 in 2024/25.

Of the 130 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 77% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 61% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 7% into work.

48.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 132 pupils (23.3%) received SEN support and 22 (3.9%) 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 Lancaster Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Central Lancaster High School (outside), 60 metres away.

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

In August 2026, police recorded 318 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Lancaster High School issued 413 suspensions, 69.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 8 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Lancaster High School are Castle View Primary Academy (0.2 miles); Lancaster Christ Church Church of England Primary School (0.3 miles); The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, Lancaster (0.7 miles); and St Josephs Catholic Primary School, Lancaster (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.