Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School, Colne

Requires Improvement
Secondary
Voluntary aided school
Mixed
Roman Catholic
Ages 1116

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~672m)Possible (~960m)Unlikely (~1.2km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Paul Dugdale
Pupils:812 / 900 capacity
LA:Lancashire
Phone:01282865299
Address:Gibfield Road, Colne, BB8 8JT
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 January 1900

Ofsted Rating

Requires Improvement

Overall

URN:119785
UKPRN:10017445
Diocese:Diocese of Salford
Constituency:Pendle and Clitheroe
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

This is a caring school where pupils thrive in a respectful, family-like environment. The curriculum is broad and well-designed, preparing pupils well for further education and employment with impressive enrichment opportunities including trips, Duke of Edinburgh's Award, sports and music clubs. Staff provide tailored support to help all pupils succeed, including those facing additional challenges.

Key Strengths

  • Strong personal development curriculum covering health, safety, relationships and British values with pupils showing secure knowledge
  • Wide range of enrichment activities and trips (Auschwitz, Houses of Parliament) helping pupils prepare for life beyond school
  • Positive relationships and family-like atmosphere with polite, respectful behaviour and low rates of bullying and suspensions
  • Effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, narrowing attainment gaps
  • High staff morale with leaders acting as positive role models

Areas for Improvement

  • Teaching quality varies across subjects - some subjects less well developed than others
  • Inconsistent application of SEND support strategies across classrooms
  • Need to embed highly effective teaching practice across all subject areas
  • Further work needed to close attainment gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils nationally

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met with an open culture where all staff take responsibility for identifying and managing concerns, making pupils safer and helping them feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Duke of Edinburgh's Award, cheerleading, role-playing club, glow-in-the-dark dodgeball, American football, music clubs including 'Chord for the Lord', ambassador roles, world of work days, work experience, visiting speakers from colleges

Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School is a well-led school where pupils achieve in line with national averages and benefit from strong pastoral care and a wide range of enrichment opportunities. The school has made substantial progress over the past two years in improving behaviour and academic results.

At a Glance

31.7%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

34 responses
Would recommend77%
Child is happy79%
Well taught74%
Good progress77%
Feels safe74%
Well behaved71%
Bullying dealt with21%
Kept informed82%
Handles concerns41%
Wider development77%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Class Sizes

24.7

Avg class size

33

Total classes

5 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Latest from Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School

From Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.

Getting There

Bus Stops

Fisher More RCHS (by)
224m · 4 min walk
Colne More Fisher School (by)
237m · 4 min walk
Primit High School (by)
341m · 6 min walk
Pendle Vale College (o/s)
357m · 6 min walk
Whitewalls Drive (opp)
359m · 6 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

90%

Near capacity

812 pupils

900 capacity

88 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Colne

Low pressure
New homes approved:504
Projected new pupils:91

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Colne

Admissions Demand - Lancashire

Low demand0.93x oversubscription

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(110)

Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement
Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement
Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement

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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.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

10.31496%

Overall absence

28.42227%

Persistent absence

862

Enrolments

Authorised7.33145%
Unauthorised2.98351%
Persistent (10%+)28.42227%
Severe (50%+)6.03248%

Absence trend

6.12792%
18/19
5.08825%
20/21
9.68301%
21/22
8.95362%
22/23
9.79838%
23/24
10.31496%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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