Pleckgate High School
Pleckgate High School is an academy sponsor led in Blackburn for pupils aged 11 to 16. It has 1,339 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Pleckgate High School is Outstanding, from an inspection in July 2024. In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 46.8, and 43% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.
Ofsted inspection: July 2024. GCSE results: 2026.
| Type | Secondary / Academy sponsor led |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Pleckgate Road Blackburn Lancashire BB1 8QA |
| Phone | 01254249134 |
| Reference Number | 142088 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1339 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 56.39%
Girls: 43.61% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 24.1% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 26.7% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 25.3 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 154 | 114 | 268 |
| 8 | 160 | 107 | 267 |
| 9 | 161 | 109 | 270 |
| 10 | 139 | 131 | 270 |
| 11 | 141 | 123 | 264 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Pakistani | 50.7% |
| Indian | 27.6% |
| Asian, Other | 5% |
| White, British | 2.3% |
| White & Asian | 2.3% |
| White, Other | 1% |
| Mixed, Other | 1% |
| African | 0.7% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.1% |
| Chinese | 0.1% |
| Unclassified | 0.1% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.1% |
Pleckgate High School is performing exceptionally well, maintaining an outstanding overall effectiveness grade. The school fosters a high academic culture, enabling pupils to set aspirational goals and achieve exceptional results across the curriculum. The strong support from teachers and the harmonious environment contribute to exemplary pupil behavior and a dedicated approach to personal development. Furthermore, the leadership from the headteacher and the Education Partnership Trust ensures robust oversight and direction that benefits all students, including those with special educational needs.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Outstanding |
| > Quality of education | Outstanding |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Outstanding |
| > Personal Development | Outstanding |
| > Leadership & Management | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 05 Jun 2024 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 05 Jun 2024 | School inspection: |
| 29 Mar 2023 | School inspection |
| 29 Jan 2019 | Full inspection: |
Strengths
- Pupils develop strong aspirational goals for their future.
- Exceptional support from teachers fosters resilience and determination.
- Broad and ambitious curriculum effectively meets students' needs.
- High levels of pupil behavior and well-being.
- Strong commitment to personal development and active citizenship.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 46.8 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 43% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 59.3% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
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See how Pleckgate High School ranks locally and nationally. Percentile rankings against every other school, historic result charts, admissions data and post-GCSE destinations are all included.
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 276 | 41 |
| Third Preference | 140 | 6 |
| From another Local Authority | 21 | 1 |
Previous years
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In 2024–25 Pleckgate High School had 1,360 pupils for 1,350 places. That is 10 more pupils than the school has room for.
Pupils and places
Year 7 intake in the “Blackburn Secondary” planning area
Blackburn with Darwen counted 1,768 Year 7 pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 1,338 in 2031–32, down 24%.
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 1,350 | 1,350 | 1,350 | 1,350 | 1,350 | 1,350 | 1,350 | 1,350 | 1,350 |
| Pupils | 1,099 | 1,096 | 1,070 | 1,090 | 1,236 | 1,291 | 1,329 | 1,358 | 1,360 |
| Unfilled | 18.6% | 18.8% | 20.7% | 19.3% | 8.4% | 4.4% | 1.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
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.
Destinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Further Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > School Sixth Form | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Sixth Form College | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Other Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Apprenticeships | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Employment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Not in education or employment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Unknown | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
In 2024–25 pupils at Pleckgate High School attended 92.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 22.5% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 4.9% | 4.2% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 4.4% | 5.5% | 5.3% | 5.0% | 5.3% |
| Unauthorised absence | 1.8% | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 2.0% | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.2% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.5% | 1.3% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1.5% | 0.8% | 1.7% | 1.9% | 1.5% |
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, 2.2% of pupils at Pleckgate High School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 3.7 | 4.5 | 5.6 | 6.8 | 4.9 | 5.2 | 6.1 | 5.4 | 2.6 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
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 Pleckgate High School had 18.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 10.5 | 11.2 | 11.1 | 12.5 | 12.0 | 12.8 | 13.2 | 13.0 | 11.7 | 12.6 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 18.3% | 6.4% | 13.9% | 6.2% | 7.0% | 12.7% | 4.8% | 7.7% | 5.3% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 59.0% | 51.4% | 60.0% | – | 42.7% | 59.2% | 62.3% | 70.1% | 56.4% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 8.2 | 5.4 | 6.7 | – | 4.1 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 5.6 | 3.2 | – |
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, 14.9% of pupils at Pleckgate High School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Speech, language and communication needs | 72 | 14 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 62 | 2 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 29 | 3 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 18 | 1 |
| Physical disability | 8 | 2 |
| Vision impairment | 5 | 2 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 2 | 4 |
| Hearing impairment | 3 | 1 |
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 2024–25 Pleckgate High School received £8,275 and spent £8,166 for each of its 1,354 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,350,000 (£997 per pupil).
Across all 6 schools of Education Partnership Trust, income was £8,209 and spending £8,226 per pupil.
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £488,000 | £518,000 | £663,000 | £970,000 | £1,194,000 | £1,024,000 | £1,350,000 |
| per pupil | £450 | £447 | £539 | £747 | £894 | £758 | £997 |
| In-year balance | -£186,000 | -£24,000 | -£156,000 | £697,000 | £31,000 | -£381,000 | £148,000 |
| per pupil | -£172 | -£21 | -£127 | £537 | £23 | -£282 | £109 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.
| Name | Distance |
|
Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
Wilworth Crescent, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 8QN |
0.25 miles |
|
St Gabriel's Church of England Primary School
Wilworth Crescent, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 8QN |
0.26 miles |
|
Lammack Primary School
Lammack Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 8LH |
0.42 miles |
|
Cedars Primary School
St. James's Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 8HQ |
0.6 miles |
|
Roe Lee Park Primary School
Emerald Avenue, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 9RP |
0.68 miles |
|
St James' Church of England Primary School Blackburn
Earl Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 8EG |
0.72 miles |
|
Brookhouse Primary School
Troy Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 6NY |
0.82 miles |
|
Queen Elizabeth's Primary School
West Park Road, QEGS West Park Rd, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 6DF |
1.05 miles |
|
St Michael With St John CofE Primary School
Swallow Drive, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 6LE |
1.12 miles |
|
Rawdhatul Uloom Islamic Primary School
184 Whalley Old Rd, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5NZ |
1.12 miles |
|
St Stephen's Church of England Primary School
Robinson Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5PE |
1.13 miles |
|
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
Lynwood Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 6HQ |
1.18 miles |
|
Dar Ul Madinah
Granville Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 6HD |
1.22 miles |
|
St Alban's Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
Trinity Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5BN |
1.23 miles |
|
Daisyfield Primary School
Clinton Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5LB |
1.24 miles |
|
St Silas's CofE Primary School
St Silas Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 6JP |
1.27 miles |
|
St Anne's Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
Feilden Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 1LQ |
1.4 miles |
|
Ashworth Nursery School
Addison Close, Blackburn, BB2 1QU |
1.44 miles |
|
St Barnabas and St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Oakenhurst Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 1SN |
1.44 miles |
|
The Olive School, Blackburn
Meins Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 6QQ |
1.5 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Islamiyah School
Willow Street, Little Harwood, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5NQ |
0.9 miles |
|
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School
West Park Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 6DF |
1.05 miles |
|
Jamiatul-Ilm Wal-Huda UK School
30 Moss Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5JT |
1.35 miles |
|
Rawdhatul Ilm Wal Huda
32 Moss Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5JT |
1.37 miles |
|
Blackburn College
Blackburn College, Harrison Centre, Feilden Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 1LH |
1.37 miles |
|
Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School
Preston New Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 7AD |
1.39 miles |
|
St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy
Duckworth Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 2JR |
1.76 miles |
|
Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School
Sumner Street, Blackburn, BB2 2LD |
1.78 miles |
|
Al Islah Girls' High School
108 Audley Range, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 1TF |
1.83 miles |
|
Witton Park Academy
Buncer Lane, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 6TD |
2.01 miles |
|
Westholme School
Wilmar Lodge, Blackburn, BB2 6QU |
2.03 miles |
|
Blackburn Central High School
Haslingden Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 3HJ |
2.15 miles |
|
Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy
North Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 1PY |
2.32 miles |
|
Markazul Uloom
Park Lee Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 3NY |
2.35 miles |
|
Noorul Uloom
Park Lee Rd, Blackburn, BB2 3NY |
2.35 miles |
|
Newfield School
Old Bank Lane, Off Shadsworth Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 2PW |
2.53 miles |
|
The Hyndburn Academy
Stourton Street, Rishton, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 4ED |
2.82 miles |
|
St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn
Green Lane, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 4SR |
3.05 miles |
|
The Willows
Willow Grange, Henry Street, Rishton, Lancashire, BB1 4JJ |
3.09 miles |
|
Eden School
Heys Lane, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 4NW |
3.17 miles |
All schools in Blackburn · Blackburn with Darwen local authority: places and applications
Pleckgate High School is part of Education Partnership Trust, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:
- Eden School Blackburn
- Burnley High School Burnley
- Carr Hill High School Preston
- Atherton High School Atherton
- Parklee Primary School Wigan
What is Pleckgate High School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Pleckgate High School is Outstanding, from an inspection in July 2024.
When was Pleckgate High School last inspected by Ofsted?
Pleckgate High School was last inspected in July 2024.
How many pupils does Pleckgate High School have?
Pleckgate High School has 1,339 pupils on roll.
What age range does Pleckgate High School cover?
Pleckgate High School for pupils aged 11 to 16.
What are Pleckgate High School's GCSE results?
In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 46.8, and 43% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.
Where is Pleckgate High School?
Pleckgate High School is at Pleckgate Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 8QA.