The educational watchdog Ofsted visited 26 mainstream secondary schools and colleges in Lancashire between January 1 2024 and December 26 2025.
Educational establishments can be rated one of four grades - outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate - with a mix of ratings being given out throughout the year.
As of September 2024 however, Ofsted also changed the way it inspects schools so that in the more recent reports, no overall effectiveness rating is given instead just individual ratings across categories.
Take a look at all the schools and colleges with new Ofsted this year below, including their classifications, highlights and areas that require improvement…
13. Accrington Academy
Report published Apr 29 following an inspection on Mar 4-5. Classed as requires improvement for 3 categories, good for 2. Highlights: happy, welcoming school; pupils achieve & behave well; wide range of extra-curricular opportunities. Improvements needed: some learning activities do not build pupil's understanding well enough; checks on learning; the school’s quality assurance systems. Previous inspection: Requires improvement. | Google Maps
14. St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn
Report published May 6 following an inspection on Mar 4-5. Classed as good for all categories. Highlights: pupils achieve well; extra-curricular opportunities; ambitious curriculum. Improvements needed: some pupils do not meet the school’s high expectations of behaviour during unstructured times of the school day; curriculum should support all pupils to express themselves verbally. Previous inspection: Requires improvement. | Google Maps
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15. Penwortham Priory Academy
Report published May 7 following an inspection on Mar 25-26. Demed as having maintained good standards. Highlights: pupils behave & achieve well; strong programme that promotes pupils' wider development; SEND support. Improvements needed: support for weaker readers in key stage 4; pupil attendance. Previous inspection: Good. | Google Maps
16. Runshaw College
Report published May 14 following an inspection on Mar 18-21. Classed as good 4 categories, outstanding for 4. Highlights: wholly inclusive and welcoming college culture; staff encourage pupils to aspire and achieve; students’ & apprentices’ behaviour is exemplary. Improvements needed: provide clear & accurate feedback to apprentices; increase proportion of students who make substantial progress. Previous inspection: Good. | Google Maps
17. Lancaster University School of Mathematics
Report published June 10 following an inspection on Apr 29-May 1. Classed as outstanding for all categories. Highlights: students are extremely positive about the school; students’ behaviour is exemplary; highly ambitious courses. Improvements needed: N/A. Previous inspection: N/A. | submit
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18. Southlands High School
Report published June 19 following an inspection on Mar 25-26. Monitoring inspection found some improvements made, others still needed. Signs of improvement: pupils’ quality of education is improving; quality of teaching has been enhanced; better checks on learning. Previous inspection: Requires improvement. | Google Maps