Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy
99%
Capacity
1,273
Pupils
3.4x
Demand
About Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy
Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic College’s headline Progress 8 score of -0.32 sits well below the Lancashire local authority average of -0.11 for secondary schools, marking it as a school where pupils make significantly less academic progress than their peers across the county. This places the school in the bottom half of all Lancashire secondaries, ranked 55th out of 90. Within Burnley itself, it ranks last among five secondary schools. The school’s attainment 8 score of 40.3 and EBacc average point score of 3.39 reflect this trend, and just 32% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, compared with 57.9% at the standard pass level. The school’s Progress 8 banding is officially rated as ‘Below average’, and the score is consistent across English, maths and the EBacc subjects, suggesting a systemic challenge rather than a subject-specific one.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, the school was rated Requires Improvement overall, a rating it has held since at least its previous graded inspection in 2018. However, the inspection report noted two areas of Good practice: behaviour and attitudes, and personal development. Leadership and management, the quality of education, and overall effectiveness were all judged as Requires Improvement. The school does not have a sixth form, so all pupils leave at 16. With 34.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average disadvantage, and its Progress 8 score of -0.32 is notably weaker than the open element score of -0.28, suggesting that disadvantaged pupils may be pulling the overall figure down further.
The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 245 places in 2025/26, it received 843 applications, a ratio of 3.44 applicants per place, with 265 first-preference applications and 222 first-preference offers. Facilities are strong for a state school, including a swimming pool, theatre, chapel, astro turf, tennis courts and art studios. The school offers a wide range of clubs from chess to eco club, and sports including martial arts and dance. SEND provisions cover nine categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disability. Blessed Trinity will suit Catholic families in Burnley who prioritise a faith-based environment and are comfortable with a school that is working to improve its academic outcomes, but where behaviour and personal development are already rated positively.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Ormerod Road, Burnley, Burnley, BB10 3AA |
| Headteacher | Deborah Williams |
| Local Authority | Lancashire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,273 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 34.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,273 / 1,280 (99% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
26 Sept 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Source: Ofsted, 9 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.32)
2298th of 3,141
Nationally
290th of 445
In North West
5th of 5
In Burnley
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/235%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 257 pupils).
- FE college75%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Employment7%
- Not sustained6%
- School sixth form (stay)5%
94% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed245
843
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
265 families put this school as their 1st choice (31% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British69.7%
- Asian17.4%
- White (other)6.6%
- Mixed3.5%
- Black0.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
15
Total schools
12
Oversubscribed
8
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Ormerod Road, Burnley
Burnley, BB10 3AA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy!
Write a Review