Penwortham Priory Academy
Preston, PR1 0JE · Lancashire · secondary school
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32nd of 82 secondary schools in Lancashire we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 4.7/10 against 891 of them, against 4.6/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 49.6 · 61 | 30% | 1.84 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.36 · 23 | 25% | 0.58 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 47.0 · 55 | 10% | 0.55 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Penwortham Priory Academy overview
How it's doing
The school is rated Good by Ofsted, inspected in May 2025. In 2024/25, 38.1% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 43.2, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.36 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 2.2 out of 10 among them, against 3.1 out of 10 nationally.
Getting in
The published school roll is 745 pupils against a stated capacity of 750. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to close the gap with the national median in Attainment 8? What specific interventions are in place to improve Progress 8 scores for students from similar backgrounds?
What Ofsted said about Penwortham Priory Academy
Overview
Penwortham Priory Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at its previous inspection. The school provides a safe and happy environment where pupils feel valued, with typically positive behaviour and high expectations for academic achievement.
Strengths
- Staff foster "respectful and caring relationships," helping pupils feel "secure and valued" and express pride in attending.
- The curriculum has been broadened, with "decisive and appropriate actions" improving the uptake of the English Baccalaureate suite for key stage 3 pupils.
- Teachers use "strong subject knowledge to explain subject content clearly" and effectively identify gaps in pupils’ understanding.
- Needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are "identified early," allowing for tailored support.
- A rich personal development curriculum and extracurricular opportunities, such as leadership roles and trips, help pupils prepare for "future challenges."
Areas to improve
- Some learning activities do not help pupils "apply and develop their knowledge in sufficient depth," limiting achievement for disadvantaged pupils in some subjects.
- Support for weaker readers in key stage 4 is "not fully developed," hindering older pupils’ confidence and fluency.
- A small number of pupils, particularly those with SEND, miss school frequently, which negatively impacts their learning.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 40.5 |
| 2024/25 | 43.2 |
| 2025/26 | 47.0 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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