Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School is an exceptionally strong school. Inspectors found that pupils achieve remarkably well across the curriculum, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, with GCSE and A-level outcomes consistently above national averages. Attendance is high, persistent absence is very low, and behaviour is impeccable. The school has a harmonious, inclusive culture where discriminatory behaviour is rare and bullying is dealt with swiftly. The curriculum and teaching are highly coherent and rigorous, with carefully sequenced learning, systematic checks on understanding and precise adaptation to pupils' needs. Inclusion is a major strength: leaders identify unmet needs quickly and remove barriers to learning and wellbeing, and the pupil premium strategy is highly impactful. Since joining Star Academies, leaders and the trust have driven a transformational shift in culture, supported by strong governance and exceptional staff development. Sixth form provision is equally strong, with ambitious study programmes and excellent preparation for top universities and degree apprenticeships. Safeguarding standards are met, and no significant weaknesses were identified in the report.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve exceptionally well across the curriculum from their starting points.
• Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND make impressive progress and outperform national trends.
• GCSE attainment is consistently and significantly above national averages.
• Sixth form students attain exceptionally well and progress to high-quality destinations.
• Attendance is consistently high and persistent absence is very low.
• Pupils behave impeccably and show high levels of self-determination and respect.
• Discriminatory behaviour is very rare and bullying is dealt with swiftly.
• The curriculum is carefully sequenced and teaching is highly coherent and rigorous.
• Teachers check understanding systematically and adapt lessons nimbly.
• Inclusion is exceptional, with barriers to learning and wellbeing removed quickly.
• The pupil premium strategy is highly impactful for disadvantaged pupils.
• Leadership and governance are highly effective, with a clear vision and strong accountability.
• Staff professional learning is unparalleled and staff feel valued and well supported.
• Personal development provision is rich, broad and equitable.
• Careers advice and preparation for future goals are excellent.
• Safeguarding standards are met and there is an open culture of safeguarding.
• Post-16 provision is high quality, ambitious and offers outstanding enrichment.

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 Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 7.1% 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, 0.8% of pupils at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No 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 Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School had 17.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.3% 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, 8.2% of pupils at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 0.9% 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 2024–25 Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School received £7,782 and spent £7,761 for each of its 1,056 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,171,000 (£1,109 per pupil).

Across all 36 schools of Star Academies, income was £8,430 and spending £8,333 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). 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.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School is part of Star Academies, which runs 36 schools. The nearest others:

• The Valley Leadership Academy Bacup
• Oulder Hill Leadership Academy Rochdale
• Star Radcliffe Academy Radcliffe
• Eden Boys' School, Bolton Bolton
• Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School Blackburn
• The Olive School, Bolton Bolton
• Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School Blackburn
• The Olive School, Blackburn Blackburn
• The Olive School, Manchester Manchester
• Star Salford Academy Worsley

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

The latest Ofsted rating for Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School is Exceptional, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School last inspected by Ofsted?

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School have?

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School has 1,087 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School cover?

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

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

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 75.5, and 99% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School?

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School is at Glen Road, Rossendale, BB4 7BJ.