Skip to content
eduscope

Search

Search for schools, places and postcodes

eduscope

SavedCompareSign in

Schools in Clitheroe

A town in Lancashire

  • Town
  • 15 schools and nurseries
  • 4,036 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are close to England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Clitheroe at a glance

Ahead of England on results at 16

How Clitheroe's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries155 primary · 1 secondary · 7 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1162%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths99%Attainment 8 70.8, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary15%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school15%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Clitheroe

Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.

All Clitheroe primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Clitheroe

5 mainstream schools in Clitheroe, best first

Edisford Primary School

Clitheroe, BB7 2LN · State · Primary · Ages 4 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well above the England average.

30 first choices, 30 offers made

Met the standard at 1181%

England 62%

Days missed
4.1%
Pupils
212
Pupils per teacher
23.6
View school Edisford Primary School

Ribblesdale School

Clitheroe, BB7 1EJ · State · All-through · Ages 4 to 16

  • Ofsted:Good or better

Results below the England average.

257 first choices, 276 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1641.9

England 46.2

Days missed
7.5%
Pupils
1,437
Pupils per teacher
16.7
View school Ribblesdale School
See all 7 primary schools

Top Secondary Schools in Clitheroe

1 mainstream schools in Clitheroe, best first

Clitheroe Royal Grammar School

Clitheroe, BB7 2DJ · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results well above the England average.

231 first choices, 175 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1670.8

England 46.2

Days missed
4.8%
Pupils
1,496
Pupils per teacher
17.6
View school Clitheroe Royal Grammar School

Ribblesdale School

Clitheroe, BB7 1EJ · State · All-through · Ages 4 to 16

  • Ofsted:Good or better

Results below the England average.

257 first choices, 276 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1641.9

England 46.2

Days missed
7.5%
Pupils
1,437
Pupils per teacher
16.7
View school Ribblesdale School

Nurseries in Clitheroe

7 in Clitheroe, highest Ofsted grade first

See all 7 nurseries

Sixth Forms in Clitheroe

1 in Clitheroe, by the school's Eduscope score

Clitheroe Royal Grammar School

Clitheroe, BB7 2DJ · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results well above the England average.

231 first choices, 175 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1670.8

England 46.2

Days missed
4.8%
Pupils
1,496
Pupils per teacher
17.6
View school Clitheroe Royal Grammar School

Private Schools in Clitheroe

1 in Clitheroe. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Moorland School Limited

Clitheroe, BB7 2JA · Independent · Primary · Ages 4 to 11

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results well below the England average.

Attainment 8 at 1630.7

England 46.2

Days missed
–
Pupils
220
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Moorland School Limited
The map

Every school in Clitheroe, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Ribblesdale Nursery School, GoodClitheroe Pendle Primary School, GoodEdisford Primary School, GoodClitheroe Brookside Primary School, Needs attention in 6 areasSt James' Church of England Primary School, Clitheroe, GoodRibblesdale School, Good or betterMoorland School Limited, InspectedClitheroe Royal Grammar School, OutstandingSt Michael and St John's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, GoodCascades Childcare, GoodBright Futures Day Nursery, GoodBambinos Boutique Daycare Ltd, GoodBowland Preschool, GoodEdisford Day NurseryMoorland Private Nursery
  • Outstanding1
  • Good9
  • Not graded yet5
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

By age

What's on offer for each age

Pick a stage to see every Clitheroe school for that age, with filters for type, faith and Ofsted grade.

More ways to narrow it down

Here's how Clitheroe's schools break down by type, faith and more.

Postcodes

Browse Clitheroe by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Clitheroe vs England

How good are Clitheroe's schools?

Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.

Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.

Numbers that sum up Clitheroe

ClitheroeEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 4 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    1 of the 1 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    62%

    England 62%

    Close to England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    99%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    15%

    England 18%

    Better than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    15%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 6 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding1
  • Good5
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

Clitheroe in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap50%65%80%20182019202320242025
62% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap50%65%80%2018201920222023202420252026
60% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
15% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Clitheroe has 15 schools and nurseries.

There are 8% more pupils than in 2018.

15% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Clitheroe's state schools each January.

Up 8% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.

Free school meals

Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.

Clitheroe15%

Dates to know

Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.

  • 31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
  • 15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
  • 1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
  • 16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.

Keep up with schools in Clitheroe

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

Find a school to follow
Questions

Questions parents ask about Clitheroe

Nearby areas

How many schools are in Clitheroe?

Clitheroe has 15 schools, including 7 primary schools, 2 secondary schools, 7 nurseries, 1 independent school. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Clitheroe?

The highest-ranked schools in Clitheroe on Eduscope are Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, Edisford Primary School, Clitheroe Pendle Primary School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.

What percentage of schools in Clitheroe are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Clitheroe hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 1 school rated Outstanding and 5 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Clitheroe perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Clitheroe, 62% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.

What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Clitheroe?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Clitheroe is 18.0:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.

What is the persistent absence rate in Clitheroe schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Clitheroe is 14.9%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.

How many pupils attend schools in Clitheroe?

There are 4,036 pupils enrolled across schools in Clitheroe, with 1,043 in primary and 2,933 in secondary. 12.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How many private schools are in Clitheroe?

There is 1 independent school in Clitheroe. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare it on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.

How do I choose the right school in Clitheroe?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 15 schools in Clitheroe by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.

Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.

Search

Search for schools, places and postcodes