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Schools in Penwortham

A town in Lancashire

  • Town
  • 18 schools and nurseries
  • 4,275 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, fewer than 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

Penwortham at a glance

Strong results at 16, weaker primary inspections

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

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries189 primary · 3 secondary · 6 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better86%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1160%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths57%Attainment 8 52.3, 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 Penwortham

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 Penwortham primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Penwortham

9 mainstream schools in Penwortham, best first

See all 9 primary schools

Top Secondary Schools in Penwortham

3 mainstream schools in Penwortham, best first

Penwortham Girls' High School

Preston, PR1 0SR · State · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16 · Girls

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results well above the England average.

159 first choices, 161 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1655.4

England 46.2

Days missed
5.9%
Pupils
799
Pupils per teacher
17.2
View school Penwortham Girls' High School

All Hallows Catholic High School

Preston, PR1 0LN · State · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results well above the England average.

201 first choices, 171 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1653.6

England 46.2

Days missed
5.3%
Pupils
911
Pupils per teacher
15.9
View school All Hallows Catholic High School

Penwortham Priory Academy

Preston, PR1 0JE · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

164 first choices, 151 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1647.0

England 46.2

Days missed
8.7%
Pupils
745
Pupils per teacher
18.8
View school Penwortham Priory Academy

Nurseries in Penwortham

6 in Penwortham, highest Ofsted grade first

Tinkerbells

Preston, PR1 9XR · Nursery

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Nurseries don't sit tests, so there are no results to compare.

View school Tinkerbells
See all 6 nurseries
The map

Every school in Penwortham, 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
Penwortham Primary School, Needs attention in 3 areasKingsfold Primary School, GoodWhitefield Primary School, GoodPenwortham Broad Oak Primary School, GoodCop Lane Church of England Primary School, Penwortham, GoodHowick Church Endowed Primary School, Strong standard in every areaPenwortham Middleforth Church of England Primary School, GoodSt Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary School, Requires improvementPenwortham, St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, GoodPenwortham Girls' High School, OutstandingAll Hallows Catholic High School, OutstandingPenwortham Priory Academy, GoodTinkerbells, OutstandingKensington Nursery, GoodSilver Cloud Nursery Penwortham, GoodNursery @ Whitefield, GoodWhitefriars Childrens Nursery Ltd, GoodKids Planet Penwortham
  • Outstanding3
  • Good11
  • 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.

By age

What's on offer for each age

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

More ways to narrow it down

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

Postcodes

Browse Penwortham by postcode

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

Penwortham vs England

How good are Penwortham'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 Penwortham

PenworthamEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 7 primaries with one.

    86%

    England 96%

    Below England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    3 of the 3 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    60%

    England 62%

    Close to England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    57%

  • 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 10 schools that have one.

90%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding2
  • Good7
  • Requires improvement1
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

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

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap50%65%80%20182019202320242025
60% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap40%60%80%2018201920222023202420252026
57% 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

Penwortham has 18 schools and nurseries.

Pupil numbers are about the same as in 2018.

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

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Penwortham's state schools each January.

Up 0% 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.

Penwortham15%

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 Penwortham

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 Penwortham

Nearby areas

How many schools are in Penwortham?

Penwortham has 18 schools, including 9 primary schools, 3 secondary schools, 6 nurseries. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Penwortham?

The highest-ranked schools in Penwortham on Eduscope are Howick Church Endowed Primary School, Penwortham Girls' High School, All Hallows Catholic High 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 Penwortham are rated Good or Outstanding?

90% of inspected schools in Penwortham hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is below the England average of 94.8%. This includes 2 schools rated Outstanding and 7 rated Good.

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

Across primary schools in Penwortham, 60% 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 Penwortham?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Penwortham is 18.5:1. 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 Penwortham schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Penwortham is 14.8%. 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 Penwortham?

There are 4,275 pupils enrolled across schools in Penwortham, with 1,820 in primary and 2,455 in secondary. 15.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How do I choose the right school in Penwortham?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 18 schools in Penwortham 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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