School profile

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School

Secondary · Academy converter · Rossendale, BB4 7BJ

Outstanding

Map showing Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#53 of 3,312

Better than 98% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#457 of 2,536

Better than 81% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 9 Jun 2026

Area360 rating
Outstanding
Inclusion
Exceptional
Curriculum and teaching
Exceptional
Achievement
Exceptional
Attendance and behaviour
Exceptional
Personal development and wellbeing
Exceptional
Leadership and governance
Exceptional
Post-16 provision
Exceptional
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,087
GenderMixed
Admissions policySelective
Head teacherMr James Johnstone
TrustSTAR ACADEMIES
Local authorityLancashire
Opened01 Sept 2023
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 150261.

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.75.5, better than England, better than Lancashire45.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.100%, better than England, better than Lancashire63.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.98.8%, better than England, better than Lancashire43.8%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.76.7%, better than England, better than Lancashire12.4%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths99.4%, better than England, better than Lancashire59.1%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4163--

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

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolLancashireEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.39.55, better than England, better than Lancashire36.4635
Average A-level gradeB--
Average points, best three A-levels39.78, better than England, better than Lancashire36.7435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB--
AAB or better31.2%, better than England, better than Lancashire16.9%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.08, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study95--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.z--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,087
Girls530
Boys557
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.6.5%
First language not English8.1%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,302
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.16.5%
Sixth form places2024/25450
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.89
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.10
Average class size23.1

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
56.6%
Pakistani
17.4%
Other Asian
5.2%
Other mixed
4%
Bangladeshi
3.4%
White and Asian
2.5%
Chinese
2.2%
Other White
2.1%
African
1.7%
Indian
1.6%

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 teacher17.8
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.13.8
Teachers (FTE)61.13
Teaching assistants (FTE)3.6
Support staff (FTE)41.57
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2557.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2550.1
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253.8
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/253.2

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.181
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.385
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.219
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.172
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)138

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 absence4.9%, better than England, better than Lancashire8.1%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.9.5%, better than England, better than Lancashire21.8%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.1.8%, 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 rate0.8%
Pupils with one or more suspensions0.8%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

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.97.7%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.97.1%
School sixth form43.7%
Further education27.6%
Sixth form college25.9%
Employment0.6%
Apprenticeship0%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.0%

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

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.89.5%
Higher education69.9%
Employment14.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.2%
Apprenticeship3.3%
Further education0%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 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 Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimaryWaterfoot Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miSecondaryThe Valley Leadership AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Requires improvement
0.5 miPrimaryRawtenstall Newchurch Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Requires improvement
0.5 miNurseryStaghills Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school
Outstanding
0.5 miPrimarySt Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, NewchurchVoluntary aided school
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimarySt Anne's Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
1.1 miPrimaryBacup Holy Trinity Stacksteads Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
1.2 miPrimarySt Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Stacksteads, BacupVoluntary aided school
Requires improvement
1.8 miPrimaryRawtenstall Balladen Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement
1.8 miSecondaryAlder Grange SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement

Frequently asked questions about Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School

What is Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School's Ofsted rating?

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School is rated Outstanding, last inspected on 9 Jun 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School rank in England?

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School ranks 53 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 98% of schools) and 457 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 81% of schools).

What are Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 98.8% of pupils at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 75.5 (England 46.2).

What are Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School was B, and 31.2% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School made 181 offers from 385 applications (2.1 per offer), and 172 of 219 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School?

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School has 1,087 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School?

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School had 1,302 school places in 2024/25.

Does Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School have a sixth form?

Yes, Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School has a sixth form with 450 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School?

At Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, the average class had 23.1 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 17.8 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School missed 4.9% of sessions (England 8%), and 9.5% 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.