Best Primary & Secondary Schools in Lancashire 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 699 schools across Lancashire. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Lancashire has 699 open primary & secondary schools. Of the 671 with a published Ofsted inspection, 103 (15%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 90% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Crawford Village Primary School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Lancashire follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

699
Total schools
103
Outstanding (historic grade)
15%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
61%
Avg KS2 SATs
37.4
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. Crawford Village Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 97 View school
2. Brabins Endowed School
Primary
 Outstanding 96 View school
3. St George's Church of England Primary School, Chorley
Primary
 Outstanding 96 View school
4. Langho and Billington St Leonards Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 93 View school
5. Gisburn Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 92 View school
6. Newburgh Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 92 View school
7. Broughton-in-Amounderness Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 91 View school
8. Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
Secondary
 Outstanding 91 View school
9. Our Lady and All Saints Roman Catholic Primary School, Parbold
Primary
 Outstanding 91 View school
10. Cardinal Newman College
16 plus
 Outstanding 91 View school
11. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 90 View school
12. The Olive School, Preston
Primary
 Outstanding 90 View school
13. St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Claughton-on-Brock
Primary
 Outstanding 90 View school
14. Lancaster University School of Mathematics
16 plus
 — 90 View school
15. Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 88 View school
16. Ribby with Wrea Endowed CofE Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 88 View school
17. Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 88 View school
18. St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Chipping
Primary
 Good 88 View school
19. Burscough Bridge Methodist School
Primary
 Good 87 View school
20. Barton St Lawrence Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 87 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Lancashire

Best primary schools in LancashireTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in LancashireTop-ranked Year 7 onwards Primary schools in LancashireReception–Year 6 only Secondary schools in LancashireYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in Blackburn with DarwenCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in BoltonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in BlackpoolCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WiganCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Lancashire

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

Search schools in Lancashire

Frequently asked questions

How many primary & secondary schools are there in Lancashire?
There are 699 open primary & secondary schools in Lancashire (closed schools are excluded). 103 of the 671 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated primary & secondary schools in Lancashire?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary & secondary school in Lancashire is Crawford Village Primary School. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Lancashire?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Lancashire?
Primary and secondary applications in Lancashire are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Lancashire council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.