School profile

Bowland High

Secondary · Academy converter · Clitheroe, BB7 4QS

Good

Map showing Bowland High

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,233 of 3,312

Better than 62% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

Bowland High Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 7 Dec 2022

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 16
Pupils644
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Laura Fielden
TrustACHIEVEMENT THROUGH COLLABORATION TRUST
Local authorityLancashire
Opened01 Aug 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136997.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolLancashireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.48.4, better than England, better than Lancashire45.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.72.7%, better than England, better than Lancashire63.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.43.6%, similar to England, similar to Lancashire43.8%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.4.5%, worse than England, worse than Lancashire12.4%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths68.2%, better than England, better than Lancashire59.1%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4110--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils644
Girls331
Boys313
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.10.2%
First language not English2.6%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.700
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.8%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.63
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.22
Average class size22.6

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
91.8%
Other White
2%
Other mixed
1.6%
Pakistani
1.1%
White and Asian
0.8%
Irish
0.5%
Other Asian
0.5%
Chinese
0.3%
Other ethnic group
0.3%
Gypsy/Roma
0.2%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher18.4
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.4
Teachers (FTE)35.09
Teaching assistants (FTE)12.1
Support staff (FTE)27.71
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2534.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2532.1
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/250
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/252

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.133
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.413
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.138
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.130
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)4

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolLancashireEngland
Overall absence6.7%, better than England, better than Lancashire8.1%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.16.8%, better than England, better than Lancashire21.8%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.1.2%, better than England, better than Lancashire3.5%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate1.8%
Pupils with one or more suspensions1.5%
Permanent exclusion rate0.2%
Permanent exclusions1

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.95.6%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.84.1%
Further education52.2%
School sixth form31%
Apprenticeship8.8%
Employment2.7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.1.8%
Sixth form college0.9%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Bowland High
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.6 miPrimaryGrindleton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
1.3 miPrimaryChatburn Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Bowland High

What is Bowland High's Ofsted rating?

Bowland High is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 7 Dec 2022.

How does Bowland High rank in England?

Bowland High ranks 1,233 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 62% of schools).

What are Bowland High's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 43.6% of pupils at Bowland High got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 48.4 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into Bowland High?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Bowland High made 133 offers from 413 applications (3.1 per offer), and 130 of 138 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Bowland High?

Bowland High has 644 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of Bowland High?

Bowland High had 700 school places in 2024/25.

Does Bowland High have a sixth form?

No, Bowland High teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at Bowland High?

At Bowland High, the average class had 22.6 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 18.4 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Bowland High?

In 2025/26, pupils at Bowland High missed 6.7% of sessions (England 8%), and 16.8% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.