Garstang Community Academy

About Garstang Community Academy

Garstang Community Academy was rated Requires Improvement in its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024, a drop from its previous Good rating in 2014. The inspectors judged every area — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management — as requiring improvement. The school’s Progress 8 score of -0.3 is below the national average and also trails the Lancashire local authority average of -0.11. That score places Garstang 54th out of 90 secondary schools in the county. Digging into the detail, pupils’ progress in English was notably weaker at -0.46, while maths progress was essentially flat at 0.04. The Attainment 8 score of 42.5 means the average pupil achieved just under a grade 5 across their best eight GCSEs. Only 44.8% of pupils secured a grade 5 or above in English and maths, though a more generous 63.2% achieved a grade 4 or above. The proportion of pupils entering the EBacc was low at 9.8%, and just 4.3% achieved it at grade 5 or above.

Despite the headline figures, the parent view tells a more positive story. 90% of the 82 respondents would recommend the school. 96% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 96% felt their child is safe. 90% agreed that their child does well at the school. On behaviour, 84% agreed the school ensures pupils are well behaved. However, communication is a sticking point: only 66% felt the school makes them aware of what their child will learn, and 84% said the school lets them know how their child is doing. Support for SEND pupils was rated positively by 86% of parents. The school has a broad range of SEND provisions on offer, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate and severe learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder.

The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 328 applications for 139 places and 100 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.36. It is a mixed, non-denominational secondary for ages 11 to 16 with no sixth form. Facilities include an astro turf, tennis courts, a theatre, playing fields, music rooms, a gymnasium, and a chapel. Sports on offer include cricket, netball, rowing, and martial arts, while clubs range from choir and drama to chess, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, and eco club. With 18.6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average disadvantage. Garstang Community Academy is a school where parents report high satisfaction with pupil happiness and safety, but where academic outcomes and Ofsted’s assessment suggest there is significant work to do to raise standards and improve leadership.

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