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Schools in Kirkham

A town in Lancashire

  • Town
  • 14 schools and nurseries
  • 1,660 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are above England, and results at 16 were below England in 2026. Attendance is close to the England figure.

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

Kirkham at a glance

Strong results at 11, weaker results at 16

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

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries144 primary · 1 secondary · 6 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1172%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths27%Attainment 8 41.3, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary24%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school18%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Kirkham

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 Kirkham primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Kirkham

4 mainstream schools in Kirkham, best first

Strike Lane Primary School

Preston, PR4 1HR · Academy · Primary · Ages 4 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well above the England average.

20 first choices, 22 offers made

Met the standard at 1190%

England 62%

Days missed
5.5%
Pupils
164
Pupils per teacher
21.2
View school Strike Lane Primary School

Top Secondary Schools in Kirkham

1 mainstream schools in Kirkham, best first

Carr Hill High School

Preston, PR4 2ST · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Requires improvement

Results below the England average.

144 first choices, 155 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1641.3

England 46.2

Days missed
9.3%
Pupils
790
Pupils per teacher
16.9
View school Carr Hill High School

Nurseries in Kirkham

6 in Kirkham, highest Ofsted grade first

Sixth Forms in Kirkham

2 in Kirkham, by the school's Eduscope score

Kirkham Pear Tree School

Preston, PR4 2HA · Special · All-through · Ages 2 to 19

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
8.8%
Pupils
112
Pupils per teacher
7.8
View school Kirkham Pear Tree School

Kirkham Grammar School

Preston, PR4 2BH · Independent · All-through · Ages 2 to 19

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
670
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Kirkham Grammar School

Special Schools in Kirkham

2 in Kirkham. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Kirkham Pear Tree School

Preston, PR4 2HA · Special · All-through · Ages 2 to 19

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
8.8%
Pupils
112
Pupils per teacher
7.8
View school Kirkham Pear Tree School

Linton School

Pr4 1hx · Independent · All-through · Ages 8 to 18

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
12
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Linton School

Private Schools in Kirkham

2 in Kirkham. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Linton School

Pr4 1hx · Independent · All-through · Ages 8 to 18

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
12
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Linton School

Kirkham Grammar School

Preston, PR4 2BH · Independent · All-through · Ages 2 to 19

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
670
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Kirkham Grammar School
The map

Every school in Kirkham, 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
Kirkham and Wesham Primary School, GoodKirkham St Michael's Church of England Primary School, GoodKirkham Grammar School, InspectedKirkham Pear Tree School, OutstandingLinton School, OutstandingCarr Hill High School, Requires improvementThe Willows Catholic Primary School, Kirkham, OutstandingStrike Lane Primary School, GoodStepping Stones, GoodKirkham Pre-School Ltd, GoodThe Park Pre-School, GoodBlue Bear Pre-School & Nursery, OutstandingTree Tots NurseryTree Tots Nursery Kirkham
  • Outstanding4
  • Good6
  • Requires improvement1
  • Not graded yet3
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.

Postcodes

Browse Kirkham by postcode

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

Kirkham vs England

How good are Kirkham'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 Kirkham

KirkhamEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 4 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    0 of the 1 with a grade.

    0%

    England 93%

    Below England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    72%

    England 62%

    Above England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    27%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

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

    18%

    England 18%

    Close to England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    24%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 7 schools that have one.

86%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding3
  • Good3
  • Requires improvement1
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

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

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap40%60%80%20182019202320242025
72% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gapCovid gap20%35%50%201820192022202320252026
27% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
18% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Kirkham has 14 schools and nurseries.

There are 16% fewer pupils than in 2018.

24% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Kirkham's state schools each January.

Down 16% since 2018.

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.

Kirkham24%

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 Kirkham

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

Questions

Questions parents ask about Kirkham

How many schools are in Kirkham?

Kirkham has 14 schools, including 7 primary schools, 4 secondary schools, 6 nurseries, 2 independent schools, 2 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Kirkham?

The highest-ranked schools in Kirkham on Eduscope are The Willows Catholic Primary School, Kirkham, Kirkham St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Strike Lane 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 Kirkham are rated Good or Outstanding?

86% of inspected schools in Kirkham hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is below the England average of 94.8%. This includes 3 schools rated Outstanding and 3 rated Good.

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

Across primary schools in Kirkham, 72% 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 Kirkham?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Kirkham is 17.5:1. 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 Kirkham schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Kirkham is 18.2%. 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 Kirkham?

There are 1,660 pupils enrolled across schools in Kirkham, with 758 in primary and 902 in secondary. 25.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How many private schools are in Kirkham?

There are 2 independent schools in Kirkham. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare all private schools in Kirkham on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.

How do I choose the right school in Kirkham?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 14 schools in Kirkham 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.

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