Schools by area › Lancashire › Unity College
Unity College
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Foundation school
Townley Holmes, Burnley BB11 3DF · unity-college.com · 01282 683010
On the mapSearch near BB11 3DF
Overview
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement
- 2019 framework · inspected Feb 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 40.3
- average Attainment 8 score. Lancashire 45.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,402
- 93% of 1,500 places
- Local authority
- Lancashire
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 34.8%
- First language not English
- 9.6%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 224 families put the school first and 263 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 263 | 224 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 298 | 221 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 297 | 284 | 1 | 96% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 299 | 294 | 1 | 96% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 293 | 267 | 0.9 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 40.3, and 34.4% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Lancashire it was 45.1, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼40.3 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼34.4% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼53.6% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼26.8% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.43 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 2.7 | +0.5 |
| Further education | 75.7 | +0.8 |
| Other education | 0.4 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 5.3 | −0.8 |
| Employment | 3.4 | −2.7 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 6.8 | +0.3 |
| Activity not captured | 5.7 | +1.8 |
Ofsted
Unity College was judged Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, on 20 February 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Requires improvement
- Inspected
- 20 Feb 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Requires improvement |
| Personal development | Requires improvement |
| Leadership and management | Requires improvement |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Nov 2018
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Nov 2018Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective Jan 2018Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Effective Jun 2014Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Nov 2011Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Good
What parents said
51% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (144 replies, to 6 January 2025).
- Recommend
- 51%
- Replies
- 144
- 10% · 6 Jan 2025
based on the 81% who raised concerns
based on the 49% who had a child bullied
based on 43 parents (30%) with SEND