Balshaw's Church of England High School Review 2026: Values-led secondary with strong local outcomes

A long-established Church of England secondary with a clear moral framework and an academic profile that sits above England average. The school’s origin story still matters here: it was founded in 1782 by Richard Balshaw to educate children who could not afford the fees charged by many schools at the time.

The latest Ofsted inspection (February 2023) judged the school to be Good overall, with Good grades across quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

For families, the headline is a calm, structured day built around routine, worship and pastoral expectations, paired with outcomes that look strong in both the local context and the wider England picture. The school is oversubscribed in the most recent admissions snapshot, so entry is the practical challenge.

The strongest organising idea is service, expressed through the school’s traditional motto, non sibi sed aliis (Not for self, but for others). That phrase is not treated as heritage branding; it is reinforced through the day-to-day language of the school, and through the Balshavian values listed for students: kindness, respect, humility, patience, friendship, truth, forgiveness, and love.

The Christian character is visible in routine as well as in stated ethos. The statutory timetable explicitly includes collective worship and tutor registration at the start of the day, and the school describes prayer as part of daily briefing and governance practice. Festivals in the Christian year are marked in assemblies, and there are links with local churches, including services at key points in the calendar. This matters for fit: families who want a Church of England school where worship is woven into normal practice tend to value the consistency; families who prefer a more secular tone should read the ethos material carefully before committing.

There is also a strong inclusion narrative that goes beyond generic statements. The school sets out an intention to become an accredited School of Sanctuary, framing this as work to help students and staff understand what it means to be seeking sanctuary and to extend a welcome across the community. In practice, this positions the school as consciously outward-looking, with personal development content that aims to link values to civic responsibility rather than leaving it as an abstract set of words.

Leadership identity is clear and stable. The headteacher is S C Haycocks, and the governing body lists his headteacher appointment date as 01 September 2018. The headteacher’s message also anchors the school’s identity in its history, inclusive intent, and Christian framing for educating students “of all faiths and world views”.

This is a school that performs strongly in its local market while remaining an accessible, non-selective state option. Ranked 1,038th in England and 2nd in Leyland for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results sit above England average and within the top 25% of schools in England on this measure.

The core attainment indicator in the latest dataset is an Attainment 8 score of 52.1, alongside a Progress 8 score of 0.18. A positive Progress 8 score indicates students make above-average progress from their starting points across eight subjects.

The EBacc profile is mixed, which is common in schools that balance a broad offer with a pragmatic view of what students will benefit from most. The average EBacc APS is 4.82, and 27.7% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in the EBacc measure. Compared with a curriculum that is strongly EBacc-driven, this points to a school that is likely prioritising successful pathways across a wider range of subject combinations, with EBacc achievement as one strand rather than the organising principle.

For parents comparing options locally, the most useful takeaway is that performance is clearly above average for a comprehensive intake, and the local ranking supports that this is one of the stronger options in the immediate area. Families using FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool can place these figures alongside nearby schools to see whether the balance of progress, EBacc entry, and attainment fits their child’s strengths.

Curriculum thinking appears deliberate rather than accidental. The February 2023 inspection report describes a broad and ambitious key stage 3 curriculum, with subject leaders identifying essential knowledge and sequencing it so pupils build effectively on prior learning. Teachers are described as using strong subject knowledge to address misconceptions and close gaps, which is often the difference between a school that teaches content and a school that teaches understanding.

Reading is treated as a whole-school priority rather than a Year 7-only concern. The Learning Resource Centre is positioned as a daily working space, and the inspection notes the library as a hub of activity, supported by programmes designed to build fluency and a love of reading. The library offer itself is unusually detailed and practical: 32 computers available at break, lunch, and after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for homework club, plus over 10,000 fiction and non-fiction books and a DVD library with over 450 titles (with permissions and age-appropriate controls).

One of the most parent-relevant curriculum details is also one of the most honest. The inspection report notes that, for a small number of pupils at key stage 4, subject combination choices were limited in a way that did not fully match interests and aspirations, and that leaders had plans under way to remove these constraints for future cohorts. If your child has a very specific intended pathway, it is sensible to ask about current option blocks and how flexibility is managed, particularly for students whose strengths do not align neatly with the most common combinations.

As an 11 to 16 school, the “next step” is post-16 transition rather than sixth form outcomes. Careers education is described in the latest inspection evidence as high quality and designed to help most pupils progress to appropriate education, training or employment after Year 11.

In practical terms, families should treat Year 9 and Year 10 as the key planning years. Option choices, exposure to employer and skills experiences, and the development of study habits tend to decide how confident the post-16 move feels. The school’s club and responsibility ecosystem also supports this, giving students a steady run of structured opportunities that can strengthen personal statements, interviews, and apprenticeship applications.

Because published leaver destination percentages are not available here, it is best to evaluate “next steps” by looking at the school’s careers programme detail, the breadth of GCSE options, and how well students are coached for post-16 applications and interviews.

Admissions are coordinated through Lancashire County Council for Year 7 entry. For September 2026 entry, applications open on Monday 01 September 2025 and the national closing date is Friday 31 October 2025, with offers issued on Monday 02 March 2026 (because the national offer date falls on a weekend or bank holiday in that cycle).

The school is oversubscribed in the most recent admissions snapshot, with 628 applications and 183 offers recorded which equates to 3.43 applications per place on this measure. This is not a marginal oversubscription; it signals that many families in the area are making this a preferred choice.

Lancashire’s determined arrangements for community and voluntary controlled secondary schools set out a structured priority order for oversubscription, starting with looked after and previously looked after children, then exceptional medical, social or welfare reasons, then priority area and sibling criteria, with distance used as a tie-break where needed. Balshaw’s also sits within a 2025 Schools Adjudicator decision relating to admission arrangements for September 2026, which is a reminder to read the currently determined arrangements rather than relying on older summaries.

If you are shortlisting seriously, use FindMySchoolMap Search to sense-check your likely priority position in distance-based scenarios, and always verify the current criteria and any geographical priority area definitions directly through the local authority’s published arrangements.

Pastoral culture is framed around Gospel values and a strong expectation of respectful conduct. The inspection evidence describes a calm and respectful atmosphere, with pupils feeling there is someone to talk to and leaders dealing effectively with bullying, which supports a sense of safety and predictability. Safeguarding arrangements are described as effective, supported by regular staff training and timely referrals when specialist help is needed.

The school’s Church of England identity adds structure to pastoral life. There is an identifiable chaplaincy role, with Luke Blakeley named as school chaplain and connected to a partner local church, and the school describes chaplaincy as both worship-led and person-focused support for staff and students. For some students, having a visible chaplaincy presence can make it easier to seek help, particularly where concerns are more personal or values-driven than strictly academic.

A final pastoral indicator is how the school treats staff wellbeing. The inspection evidence notes staff appreciation of leaders taking workload into account when deciding policy. That is not just a human resources issue; in most schools, staff stability and workload decisions show up quickly in classroom consistency, behaviour management, and the availability of enrichment beyond the timetable.

The extracurricular offer is unusually well-specified and pragmatic, with options that cover sport, performance, debate, practical skills, and supported study. The club list changes through the year, but the published programme gives a clear sense of what “a normal week” can look like for students who want structure beyond lessons.

For students who enjoy performance and production, the school’s calendar of rehearsals gives real time and space to the arts. The current programme includes choir practice, band practice, and a run of Mary Poppins rehearsals across multiple year groups. The implication is that performance is not confined to an annual show; it is sustained through regular practice and group commitment, which tends to suit students who thrive when there is a shared goal and a defined role within a team.

For students motivated by speaking and leadership, there are several named pathways. Rotary Youth Speaks club and Debate Club sit alongside English Speaking Union public speaking practice. That combination is a strong sign of deliberate oracy development, which often supports confidence across the curriculum, not just in English. A student who struggles to put ideas into words in class frequently benefits from a structured speaking environment with coaching and repetition.

STEM and hobby culture are also catered for in a way that avoids the usual tokenism. There is a STEM Club for younger years and a Warhammer Club, which may sound niche but is often a very effective bridge for students who want strategic thinking, community, and an identity that sits outside sport or performance. Duke of Edinburgh is also listed, providing a recognised framework for challenge, volunteering and personal development.

Finally, supported study is treated as a core entitlement rather than an afterthought. Home Learning Club runs on multiple days, and the Learning Resource Centre provides both staffed space and practical access to computers and printing. For many families, this is one of the most valuable forms of “enrichment” because it reduces evening stress and makes independent study more realistic for students who do not have quiet space at home.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. The statutory school day runs from 8.40am to 3.10pm (32.5 hours per week), and students can be on site from 8.30am. After the end of the formal day, clubs and Home Learning provision run from 3.10pm onwards, and the site is used for activities and lettings into the evening on weekdays.

For transport planning, the school signposts Lancashire County Council timetables for the 614 and 412 bus services, which is the most reliable starting point for current routing and eligibility.

• Oversubscription reality. Recent admissions data records 628 applications and 183 offers in the available snapshot. This level of demand makes it important to be realistic about priority criteria and to submit a complete, accurate application by the October deadline.

• Key stage 4 option fit. For a small number of students, subject combinations at key stage 4 were previously constrained in ways that did not fully match interests and aspirations. Ask specifically about current option blocks, especially if your child has a clear vocational or specialist direction.

• Faith integration is substantive. Worship, prayer, and the Christian calendar are built into school routine and culture. Families seeking a lightly branded faith school may find this more explicit than expected; families who value a clear faith identity usually see it as a strength.

• Parent communication expectations. Inspection evidence notes that a minority of parents did not feel engagement and communication were strong enough around change and concerns. It is sensible to ask how communication works in practice, and what the school does when issues are escalated.

A disciplined, values-forward comprehensive with a strong local reputation and outcomes that sit comfortably above England average. Best suited to families who want a calm, structured school day, clear behavioural expectations, and a Church of England ethos that is active rather than nominal. The challenge lies in admission rather than what follows, so serious applicants should treat deadlines and priority criteria as central to their planning.