Ofsted: Outstanding trending_up Popular emoji_events #8 in Blackburn with Darwen public Top 31% UK

Pleckgate High School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

person Mrs A McGinty (Headteacher)

corporate_fareEDUCATION PARTNERSHIP TRUST

location_onBlackburn, BB1 8QA

language Visit Website phone 01254249134

verified

Ofsted

Outstanding

Inspected 2024

groups

Students

1,335

trending_up

Attainment 8

46.8

leaderboard

GCSE Rank

#9 in Blackburn with Darwen

#1,698 of 4,024 nationally

summarize

Pleckgate High School is a Academy sponsor led secondary school in Blackburn, serving ages 11-16. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted — the highest possible grade. Demand is above capacity (1.1×) — apply through your local authority on time.

article

School Summary

Pleckgate High School is an academy sponsor led in Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen, admitting pupils aged 11-16. It is part of EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP TRUST. The school has approximately 1,339 pupils on roll, of whom 24% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2026, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 46.8, placing the school #9 in Blackburn with Darwen and #1,698 of 4,024 nationally. 43.00% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 17.6% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2024. The school's current overall rating is Outstanding. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Outstanding, behaviour and attitudes Outstanding, personal development Outstanding, and leadership and management Outstanding.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.1× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 18.6:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.7 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

analytics

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2026

Attainment 8 Score

46.8

across 8 GCSE slots

Grade 5+ E&M

43.00%

Grade 4+ E&M

65.00%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)17.6%

5+ GCSEs (4+ incl. E&M)59.30%

Triple Science Entry36.90%

EBacc Slot Score13.5 / 30

2025

Attainment 8 Score

49.2

across 8 GCSE slots

Grade 5+ E&M

47.10%

Grade 4+ E&M

71.20%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)20.7%

Entering EBacc44.20%

EBacc APS4.26

2024

Progress 8 Score

-0.01

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

43.20%

Entering EBacc49.40%

EBacc APS3.93

2023

Progress 8 Score

0.28

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

48.0

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc36%

EBacc APS4.12

2022

Progress 8 Score

-0.03

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

45.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc32%

EBacc APS3.94

2019

Progress 8 Score

0.16

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

45.2

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc37%

EBacc APS3.92

2018

Progress 8 Score

0.07

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

42.1

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc30%

EBacc APS3.67

explore

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2026

Stayed in Education / Employment

89.6%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)88%

Apprenticeships0.8%

Employment0.8%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)8.1%

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

90%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)85%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

92%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)87%

Apprenticeships2%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

93%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)92%

ApprenticeshipsSP%

Employment1%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

92%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)90%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)6%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

96%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)93%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)3%

leaderboard

Ranking History & Trajectory

National & Local Authority position based on DfE performance data · Methodology

Year	Secondary Overall (Nat)	LA Rank	GCSE Attainment	Progress 8 Rank
2026	#1,920 / 4,024	#8	#1,698	#1
2025	#1,487 / 3,948	#7	#1,235	#1
2024	#1,812 / 4,450	#6	#2,144	#1,579
2023	#1,189 / 4,321	#4	#1,438	#857
2022	#2,002 / 4,199	#7	#2,224	#1,560
2019	#1,319 / 2,711	#5	#1,584	#1,004
2018	#1,598 / 2,537	#7	#1,911	#1,162

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

05 June 2024

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

29 March 2023

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

29 January 2019

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2024-06-05

S5 Inspection EIF

Outstanding

Education

Outstanding

Behaviour

Outstanding

Development

Outstanding

Leadership

Outstanding

verified_user Safeguarding: Met Latest Ungraded: School remains Outstanding (Concerns) - S5 Next

2019-01-29

Academy First Section 5 Legacy

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

verified_user Safeguarding: Met

2015-02-10

None Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.8%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.7%(10 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 1,354 pupils. During this period, there were 11 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.8%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	1,354	11	0.8%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	1,352	9	0.7%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,358	29	2.1%	7.4%	1
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,350	21	1.6%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,347	23	1.7%	8.2%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,329	37	2.8%	6.6%	1
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,335	29	2.2%	6.4%	2
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,340	16	1.2%	5.9%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,291	24	1.9%	4.7%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,298	18	1.4%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	1,297	26	2.0%	4.4%	2
2020/21 (Summer term)	1,236	20	1.6%	3.6%	2
2020/21 (Spring term)	1,230	4	0.3%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	1,213	36	3.0%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	1,157	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	1,157	55	4.8%	3.2%	3
2019/20 (Autumn term)	1,134	24	2.1%	4.2%	1
2018/19 (Summer term)	1,090	17	1.6%	3.1%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	1,083	22	2.0%	3.8%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,091	22	2.0%	3.8%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	1,070	16	1.5%	3.4%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	1,065	12	1.1%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	1,065	20	1.9%	3.7%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	1,096	14	1.3%	3.0%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	1,088	14	1.3%	3.3%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	1,085	12	1.1%	3.1%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

accessibility_new

psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 73 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 52 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 30 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 21 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 12 pupils

Physical Disability 12 pupils

Visual Impairment 9 pupils

Hearing Impairment 4 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 3 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

Overall, how do parents view this school?

0%Positive

My child is happy at this school.

100%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

100%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

When bullying took place, the school dealt with it quickly and effectively.

strongly agree100%

not applicable91%

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree73%

agree27%

When the school makes decisions it has the child's best interests at heart.

strongly agree82%

agree18%

The school gives my child the right support to enable them to learn well.

strongly agree91%

agree9%

The school communicates well with me about the things I need to know.

strongly agree55%

agree36%

Neither agree nor disagree9%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly.

strongly agree36%

agree36%

not applicable9%

Neither agree nor disagree18%

Does your child have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND)?

no100%

My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

Would you recommend this school to another parent?

yes100%

Top Secondary Schools in Blackburn with Darwen

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School

Outstanding

location_on Blackburn, BB2 7AD

emoji_events #1 in LA

Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School

Outstanding

location_on Blackburn, BB2 2LD

emoji_events #2 in LA

Rawdhatul Ilm Wal Huda

Good

location_on Blackburn, BB1 5JT

emoji_events #3 in LA

Noorul Uloom

Good

location_on None, BB2 3NY

emoji_events #4 in LA

Jamiatul-Ilm Wal-Huda UK School

Good

location_on Blackburn, BB1 5JT

emoji_events #5 in LA

St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy

Good

location_on Blackburn, BB2 2JR

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Blackburn with Darwen arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Ranking History & Trajectory

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Secondary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Overall, how do parents view this school?

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

When bullying took place, the school dealt with it quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

When the school makes decisions it has the child's best interests at heart.

The school gives my child the right support to enable them to learn well.

The school communicates well with me about the things I need to know.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly.

Does your child have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND)?

My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

Would you recommend this school to another parent?

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Secondary Schools in Blackburn with Darwen

Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School

Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School

Rawdhatul Ilm Wal Huda

Noorul Uloom

Jamiatul-Ilm Wal-Huda UK School

St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy