Classpot

Bishop Rawstorne Church of England Academy

Chorley, PR26 9HHSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Mar 2026
Progress 8
+0.53
Well above average
−20+2
Competition
1.2×
Oversubscribed
220 1st-choice / 182 places
Ranking
🏆Top 25%
#473 of 3,141 nationally

About Bishop Rawstorne Church of England Academy

Bishop Rawstorne Church of England Academy is a secondary school in Chorley that significantly outperforms the local authority average on academic progress. Its Progress 8 score of 0.53 is well above the Lancashire average of -0.11, meaning pupils here make roughly half a grade more progress per subject than their peers across the county. This places the school 12th out of 90 similar schools in Lancashire, and within the top 25% of schools nationally. The school is oversubscribed by a ratio of 2.4 to 1, with 220 first preference applications for 180 offers, which reflects its strong reputation among local families. Headteacher Paul Cowley leads a mixed, Church of England secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form. The school has 963 pupils on roll, slightly above its official capacity of 930, and 8.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is below the national average.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressHighfield Road, Leyland, Chorley, PR26 9HH
HeadteacherPaul Cowley
Local AuthorityLancashire
Number of Pupils963
Free School Meals (FSM)8.4%
School Capacity963 / 930 (104% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

16 Nov 2021
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Source: Ofsted, 16 Jan 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

12
LibraryScience LabsAstro TurfArt StudiosMusic RoomsSports HallTheatreSwimming PoolSixth Form CentreTennis CourtsPlaying FieldsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

14

Sports

BadmintonHockeyMartial ArtsFootballTennisNetballRugbyDanceAthletics

Clubs & Activities

CodingBook ClubOrchestraFilm ClubNewspaper

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:55 – 15:16

Source: bishopr.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Bishop Rawstorne Church of England Academy

Bishop Rawstorne Church of England Academy has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.