St Cecilia's RC High School
Chapel Hill, Longridge, Preston, PR3 2XAOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Cecilia's RC High School is a secondary school in Preston for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 692 schools in Lancashire. It ranks 12th of 22 secondary schools in Preston. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 7 January 2025, report published 27 January 2025
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Outstanding
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 7 January 2025
Pupils are polite, kind and considerate. They enjoy the positive relationships that they have with staff, who care for them well. Pupils make a strong contribution to the calm and respectful atmosphere that exists at the school. They are happy here. Pupils respond well to the high expectations that the school has of their achievement and conduct. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in the life of the school. Pupils achieve well. The school provides pupils with access to many activities that help them to develop their talents and interests. These include sports and art clubs, mindful crafts and the school's choir. Trips to places of interest help to deepen pupils' understanding of the subjects that they study. For example, pupils visit places of worship and they enjoy trips abroad. Pupils take part in outdoor and adventurous activities during residential stays. Visitors to the school help pupils to learn about other faiths and cultures. Pupils make a positive contribution to their community. For example, they support food banks, raise money for charities and learn about the importance of fair trade. The broad range of activities on offer at the school helps pupils to become confident, resilient and independent young people.
What the school should improve
- At times, staff design activities that do not help pupils to develop sufficient depth of knowledge in the subjects that they study. This prevents some pupils from achieving as well as they could. The school should ensure that it supports staff to design learning activities that prepare pupils well for each stage of their education.
- Sometimes, the school is not quick enough to rectify gaps and misconceptions in some pupils' knowledge. This means that these pupils move on to new learning before they are ready. The school should ensure that staff address pupils' misunderstandings in a timely manner so that pupils build their knowledge securely over time.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
115 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
581 pupils on roll, with places for 577
Schools near St Cecilia's RC High School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longridge High School | 0.1 miles | Ofsted: Requires improvement | Attainment 8: 44.6 |
| Corpus Christi Catholic High School | 5 miles | Ofsted judgements: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 50.2 |
| Archbishop Temple Church of England High School | 5 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | Attainment 8: 55.4 |
| Broughton High School | 5 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 59.3 |
| Moor Park High School | 5 miles | Report card: Needs attention to strong standard | Attainment 8: 39.3 |
School details
- School type
- Voluntary aided school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Helen Hall
- Phone
- 01772783074
- Address
- Chapel Hill, Longridge, Preston, PR3 2XA
- Local authority
- Lancashire
- URN
- 119800
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.