Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School

About Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School

Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School is a mixed, state secondary for 11 to 16 year olds in Pendle, within the Lancashire local authority. It is a Roman Catholic school with 821 pupils on roll, led by headteacher Paul Dugdale. In terms of academic progress, the school ranks 4th out of 6 schools in Pendle based on Progress 8 scores, placing it in the bottom half of its immediate local area. Across the wider Lancashire authority, which includes 90 secondary schools, it sits at rank 64. The top-performing peers in the local authority by the same metric are Preston Muslim Girls High School, Eden Boys' School, Preston, and Holy Cross Catholic High School, all of which have significantly higher Progress 8 scores. This context matters for parents weighing up options within the Catholic or local state sector, as the school's performance is notably below the strongest competitors in the region.

Academically, the school's most recent data from the 2023/24 academic year shows a Progress 8 score of -0.45, which is well below the Lancashire local authority average of -0.11 and is classified as 'Below average' nationally. The Attainment 8 score sits at 41.6, and just 35.5% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, compared to 55.5% at grade 4 or above. Entry to the English Baccalaureate is low at 7.1%, with only 1.9% of pupils achieving it at the higher threshold. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023, the school was rated Requires Improvement overall, with the same rating for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. Personal development was rated Good. This represents a decline from its previous inspection in January 2020, where behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership were all rated Good, and the overall rating was also Requires Improvement.

The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, receiving 532 applications for 177 places, with 162 first-preference offers made. Facilities include a swimming pool, theatre, chapel, sports hall, tennis courts, and playing fields, alongside specialist spaces for music, art, and science. A wide range of clubs and sports are on offer, including the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, coding, martial arts, and dance. The school supports pupils with a variety of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Parent View responses from 34 respondents between September 2024 and September 2025 show that 76% would recommend the school. However, opinions are mixed: while 79% strongly agree or agree that their child is happy, 24% disagree or strongly disagree, and on SEND support, 42% strongly agree but 33% strongly disagree. This school may suit families who value its Catholic character and broad extracurricular offer, but who are aware that academic outcomes and Ofsted ratings currently sit below local averages.

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