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West Craven High School

Pendle, BB18 5TBSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Requires Improvement
Jul 2024
Progress 8
-0.99
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
92 1st-choice / 96 places
Ranking
#3,014
of 3,141 nationally

About West Craven High School

West Craven High School’s headline Progress 8 score of -0.99 places it well below the Lancashire local authority average of -0.11 for secondary schools, a gap that marks it as one of the lowest-performing schools in the county. Within Pendle, it ranks last out of six schools, and across Lancashire it sits at 80th out of 90 state secondaries. The school’s Progress 8 banding is officially described as “well below average,” and its national percentile of 96 — meaning 96% of schools nationally achieve a stronger score — underscores the challenge. This is a school where academic outcomes are significantly weaker than peers in the same area, and the data suggests that pupils here, on average, make nearly a full grade less progress across their eight best subjects than students in similar schools across the country.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressKelbrook Road, Barnoldswick, Pendle, BB18 5TB
HeadteacherJohn Bates
Local AuthorityLancashire
Number of Pupils591
Free School Meals (FSM)27.7%
School Capacity591 / 845 (70% 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

2 Jul 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal Development
Requires improvement
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement

Source: Ofsted, 9 Sept 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

12
Swimming PoolICT SuitePlaying FieldsDining HallSports HallGymnasiumAstro TurfScience LabsLibraryTheatreMusic RoomsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

17

Sports

SwimmingFootballDanceGymnasticsCross CountryAthleticsMartial Arts

Clubs & Activities

Art ClubDuke of EdinburghYoung EnterpriseOrchestraChoirScience ClubFilm ClubGardeningBook ClubChess

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About West Craven High School

West Craven High School has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.