Balshaw's Church of England High School

Balshaw’s Church of England High School is performing well overall, with leaders displaying ambition for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Students express happiness and pride in their school, benefiting from a respectful atmosphere and support for their personal development. The curriculum for key stage 3 is broad and ambitious; however, some limitations exist at key stage 4 regarding subject choice for a small number of pupils, which leaders are planning to improve for future cohorts. The school has a strong focus on reading, with initiatives in place to support all pupils, especially those who struggle.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy and proud to attend the school.
• Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND.
• The atmosphere is calm and respectful, promoting positive behaviour.
• Leaders effectively support pupils' wider development through various programs.
• Reading is prioritized, with multiple initiatives to promote literacy.
• Staff are well trained to address pupils' learning needs.
• Leaders take staff well-being into account when making decisions.

Areas for Improvement

• A small number of pupils are limited in subject choices at key stage 4.
• Some parents feel disengaged from the school leadership and communications.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Balshaw's Church of England High School attended 94.9% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 12.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 7.8% of pupils at Balshaw's Church of England High School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Balshaw's Church of England High School had 17.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 6.3% of pupils at Balshaw's Church of England High School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Balshaw's Church of England High School received £7,403 and spent £7,271 for each of its 922 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £576,000 (£625 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Leyland · Lancashire local authority: places and applications

What is Balshaw's Church of England High School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Balshaw's Church of England High School is Good, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was Balshaw's Church of England High School last inspected by Ofsted?

Balshaw's Church of England High School was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does Balshaw's Church of England High School have?

Balshaw's Church of England High School has 921 pupils on roll.

What age range does Balshaw's Church of England High School cover?

Balshaw's Church of England High School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Balshaw's Church of England High School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 53.0, and 51% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Balshaw's Church of England High School?

Balshaw's Church of England High School is at Church Road, Leyland, Lancashire, PR25 3AH.