All Saints' Roman Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy

About All Saints' Roman Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy

All Saints' Roman Catholic High School sits within Lancashire local authority, a secondary school in Rossendale that serves 498 pupils aged 11 to 16. It is a state-funded, mixed Roman Catholic school, and in the local area it ranks 5th out of 6 schools of its type, placing it in the bottom half of its immediate peers. For context, the top-performing schools in the same authority include Preston Muslim Girls High School, Eden Boys' School, Preston, and Holy Cross Catholic High School, all of which post significantly stronger Progress 8 scores. The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 102 places in the 2025/26 academic year, it received 457 total applications, with 97 first-preference applications and 82 offers made to first-preference families. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 4.48, suggesting strong local demand despite the school's current Ofsted rating. The headteacher is Francesca Lord, and the school's religious character as a Roman Catholic institution is likely a key factor for many families choosing it.

Academically, the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 rated it Requires Improvement across all categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This is a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2016. Exam results for the 2023/24 cohort show a Progress 8 score of -0.78, which is well below average nationally and significantly worse than the Lancashire local authority average of -0.11. The Attainment 8 score sits at 38.1, and only 30.8% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths (the basics measure). The EBacc average point score is 3.12, with just 5.5% of pupils entering and achieving the EBacc at grade 5 or above. The school's Progress 8 banding is described as well below average, and it ranks in the bottom 50 nationally, at 2912 out of 3141 schools. These figures point to a school where academic outcomes are a significant concern.

On the practical side, the school offers a solid range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, tennis courts, astro turf, theatre, science labs, ICT suite, and a chapel. Sports on offer include cross country, badminton, gymnastics, martial arts, dance, cricket, rugby, basketball, and tennis, while clubs extend to debate, orchestra, newspaper, chess, choir, art club, eco club, and Model UN. The school has a broad SEND provision, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 33.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively disadvantaged intake. It does not have a sixth form or nursery provision. This is a school that will suit families who prioritise its Catholic ethos and local convenience, but who are prepared to engage closely with the school's improvement journey given the current academic and Ofsted picture.

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