Alder Grange School

State school · Mixed · ages 11–18 · with sixth formLancashire, Rossendale BB4school website

One in three sixth-formers go on to university — above the England rate.

Where this school leads
43%

of sixth-form leavers started university · Lancashire 36% · England 37% · DfE destination measures, students who left in 2023

Knowledge sphere of Alder Grange School: fields of knowledge mapped by the subjects taken here, by ISCED levelLanguage & Communication · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Language & Communication · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 41%Language & Communication · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 38%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Natural Sciences · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 44%Natural Sciences · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 8%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 39%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Health & Safety · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 44%Health & Safety · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Business & Administration · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 1%Business & Administration · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 5%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 13%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 22%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Transversal Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 33%Transversal Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 50%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%LanguageMathsScienceICTEngineeringHealthBusinessLawSocialArtsTransversalGreen
Ofsted
Report card
Places
—
Pupils
899
Free school meals
23.2%

Ofsted: Inspected 10 March 2026 · report. Places: the last distance at which places were offered is not on file (it comes from Lancashire’s allocation statistics). Pupils: of 902 places, including the sixth form. Free school meals: pupils eligible, a measure of family income.

After Year 11 · age 16

Where do pupils go at 16?

82%stayed in education after Year 11
This school82%
Lancashire81%
England86%

DfE Key Stage 4 destination measures · 145 pupils who left Year 11 in 2023

Of the 145 pupils who finished Year 11 at Alder Grange School in 2023, 50% stayed on in Alder Grange School’s own sixth form (Lancashire average 12%), 28% went to a further education college and 7% started an apprenticeship.

Stayed in education — counted only if the pupil was still there for two terms of the next year; apprenticeships and jobs are counted the same way.

Full breakdown11
MeasureAlder Grange SchoolLancashireEngland
Pupils in the cohort14513,296607,348
Any sustained destination92%90%92%
Stayed in education82%81%86%
— school sixth form50%12%34%
— sixth form college3%20%13%
— further education college28%48%37%
— other education2%2%2%
Apprenticeship7%5%3%
Employment3%4%3%
No sustained destination8%7%6%
Destination unknown1%2%3%
After sixth form · age 18

Where do sixth-formers go at 18?

2%went to one of the most selective universities
This school2%
Lancashire20%
England19%

DfE 16–18 destination measures · 76 students who left in 2023

43% went to university (England 37%). 14% started an apprenticeship (England 7%). 18% went into work and 12% had no steady place a year on (England 28% and 16%).

Most selective universities — the third of UK universities whose entrants hold the highest grades; the share is of students who completed level 3 qualifications.

Full breakdown7
MeasureAlder Grange SchoolLancashireEngland
Students in the cohort7611,265541,441
Any sustained destination82%80%79%
University (higher education)43%36%37%
— most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students2%20%19%
Further education5%5%5%
Apprenticeship14%10%7%
Employment18%29%28%
No sustained destination12%15%16%
Universities · named

Which universities did they go to?

1university has told us how many applied, were offered a place and enrolled

Named universities — most schools do not publish this; the official DfE figures above only say how many went to university and how selective those universities were.

universities’ answers to sch.today’s Freedom of Information requests · request tracker

What universities’ own admissions data say1

For each entry year: how many of this school’s students applied, received an offer and enrolled. Counts under five are shown as “<5” to protect individuals. Applications exclude Clearing; enrolments are students who completed registration.

UniversityEntry yearAppliedOffersEnrolled
University of Bristol2023<5<5—

A university’s enrolment count and a school’s own destinations list can differ: the school counts places accepted in the summer, the university counts students registered in the autumn.

GCSE · Year 11 · 2025

How do GCSE results compare?

37.0Attainment 8 score, out of 90
This school37.0
Lancashire45.1
England46.1

Attainment 8 — average GCSE points across eight subjects, English and maths counted twice; grade 5 in everything scores 50.

DfE performance tables 2024/2025 · 138 pupils in Year 11

25% of pupils here are disadvantaged (England 28%). Disadvantaged pupils here scored 31.4 — below disadvantaged pupils across England (34.9).

25% got grade 5 or above in both English and maths (Lancashire 44%, England 45%).

Grade 5 — a “strong pass”; grade 4 is a “standard pass”. Progress 8 is not published for 2025: this cohort had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020–21, so there is no baseline.

All GCSE measures10
MeasureAlder Grange SchoolLancashireEngland
Attainment 8 (average points per pupil)37.045.146.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths25%44%45%
Grade 4 or above in English and maths50%64%65%
Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects8%34%41%
EBacc average point score3.003.954.09
Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort25%26%28%
Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils31.432.734.9
Attainment 8 — other pupils38.949.350.4
Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2)———
English as an additional language2%12%19%
Subjects · 2025

What do pupils study?

39.97%of the Key Stage 3, GCSE and A level curriculum mapped by the subjects taken here

Mapped — the share of the 3,288 learning outcomes the Department for Education sets for these stages that the subjects taken here cover, weighted by how many pupils take each.

DfE subject entries 2025 · curriculum catalogue by sch.today

Religious Studies stands out at GCSE — 70% of the year group took it, against 31% across England. At A level it is Physical Education: 17% of students (England 3%).

Green & Sustainability50%
Natural Sciences44%
Health & Safety44%
Language & Communication41%
Engineering & Manufacturing39%

Fields of knowledge — twelve fields the curriculum catalogue sorts every learning outcome into; the bars show the GCSE and A level ring.

GCSE subjects22

Entries as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEnglandGrades 7–9EnglandGrades 4–9
Mathematics138100%88%6%22%54%
English Language138100%89%4%20%59%
English Literature13699%86%7%21%57%
Combined Science10677%65%1%9%33%
Religious Studies9770%31%1%32%24%
Geography6144%41%5%25%31%
History4734%41%15%26%49%
Physics3122%23%10%46%68%
Biology3122%23%10%45%77%
Chemistry3122%23%10%47%87%
Design and Technology2921%11%28%23%59%
Drama2417%7%17%27%92%
French2417%18%13%29%58%
Physical Education2216%11%9%24%50%
Sociology1914%4%0%21%5%
Media Studies1914%4%0%20%37%
Classical Civilisation1914%1%21%40%42%
Art and Design1813%7%22%24%67%
Food Preparation and Nutrition1712%8%6%21%47%
Computer Science1712%13%6%30%6%
3D Design118%2%27%16%64%
Spanish75%19%14%27%14%
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications3
SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Sports Studies2742%—
Health Studies2031%—
Small Business Management1523%—
A level subjects18

Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Psychology1726%23%
Biology1422%20%
Mathematics1320%31%
English Literature1218%11%
English Language1117%4%
Physical Education1117%3%
Sociology1117%13%
Classical Civilisation1015%1%
Chemistry711%17%
Geography711%10%
Law69%4%
Art and Design——1%
3D Design——1%
Graphic Communication——2%
Drama——2%
History——13%
Media Studies——4%
Physics——12%
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses16
SubjectQualificationEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Study SkillsExtended Project (Diploma)2437%—
Business StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*1625%—
Applied SciencesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*812%—
Sports StudiesOCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 369%—
Music performance: GroupVRQ Level 3———
Further MathematicsGCE AS level (All)———
PhysicsGCE AS level (All)———
Further MathematicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
PhysicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
Computer Appreciation / IntroductionOCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3———
Health StudiesOCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3———
Sports StudiesOCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3———
Computer Appreciation / IntroductionOCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3———
Mathematical StudiesCore Maths Qualifications at Level 3———
Health StudiesOCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3———
Applied SciencesBTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D*———
A level results8
MeasureAlder Grange SchoolLancashireEngland
Students at the end of 16–18 study161——
— of whom A level students654,666261,341
Average A level gradeC-B-B-
Average points per A level entry26.7136.4635.00
Average grade, best 3 A levelsC-B-B-
AAB or better with two facilitating subjects5%17%18%
Average grade, applied general courses———
Average grade, T levels———
Fields of knowledge, all stages12
Green & Sustainability59%
Natural Sciences55%
Health & Safety54%
Language & Communication54%
Mathematics & Statistics45%
Engineering & Manufacturing44%
Transversal Skills43%
Arts & Humanities29%
Digital & ICT Skills22%
Social & Cultural Skills17%
Law & Public Administration12%
Business & Administration4%

Ideas pupils meet most, weighted by the share of the cohort taking the subjects that teach them:

fraction 16.0percentage 10.9ratio 10.9gradient 9.7vocabulary 8.7power 8.0reflection 7.8translation 7.5equation 7.4particle model 7.2root 7.2grammar 7.2energy transfer 6.7audience 6.7standard form 6.4evidence 6.2area 6.2formulae 6.0impact 5.9scale 5.8context 5.6change of state 5.5graph 5.4presentation 5.4

Coverage counts a subject’s outcomes in proportion to the share of the cohort entered for it; Combined Science counts as two thirds of the three separate sciences. Levels follow ISCED 2011 as UNESCO maps it for the UK: Key Stage 3 is ISCED 2; GCSE and A level are both ISCED 3. Methodology: about the data.

Careers

Which jobs use what’s taught here?

12apprenticeship standards closely match the subjects pupils take

A match of what’s taught, not of entry requirements: the standards whose knowledge and skills share the most ideas with the GCSEs and A levels taken here, weighted by how many pupils take each subject.

Level 3 / Level 6 — England’s qualification levels: 3 is A level standard, 4–5 are higher apprenticeships, 6 is a bachelor’s degree.

Skills England apprenticeship standards (Open Government Licence v3.0) · ESCO occupations, © European Union, matched by sch.today · how the match works

Water industry asset maintenance technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses ratio, unit conversion, area from Geography, Mathematics, Biology and 10 more · jobs: consumer electronics repair technician, industrial electrician, electrician
Process industry manufacturing technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses pressure, conservation of mass, energy change from Biology, Chemistry, Design and Technology and 6 more · jobs: chemical engineering technician, chemical manufacturing quality technician, chemical production manager
ScientistLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · health and science · uses conclusion, experimental design, data interpretation from Biology, Chemistry, Geography and 9 more · jobs: physicist, analytical chemist, geneticist
More apprenticeships9
Geoscientist (integrated degree)Level 6 degree apprenticeship · health and science · uses data interpretation, climate change, conduct field work from Geography, Physical Education, Biology and 5 more · jobs: geologist, geological engineer, exploration geologist
Science manufacturing technician 2023Level 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses unit conversion, graph, pressure from Biology, Biology, Chemistry and 4 more · jobs: pharmaceutical engineer, chemical manufacturing quality technician, pharmacy technician
Battery manufacturing technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses area, unit conversion, volume from Chemistry, Chemistry, Mathematics and 3 more · jobs: battery test technician
Data technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · digital · uses mean, integer, presentation from Geography, Mathematics, Psychology and 9 more · jobs: data analyst, database administrator, data scientist
Non-destructive technologies technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses ratio, data interpretation, measurement from Mathematics, Physical Education, Biology and 6 more
Water industry network technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses standard form, unit conversion, volume from Biology, Chemistry, Design and Technology and 4 more · jobs: sewerage network operative, product quality inspector, sewerage maintenance technician
Production assistant - screen and audioLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · creative and design · uses spelling, punctuation, grammar from English Literature, Media Studies, English and 1 more · jobs: factory hand, supply chain assistant, management assistant
Artificial intelligence (AI) data specialistLevel 7 degree apprenticeship · digital · uses presentation, data presentation, experimental design from Geography, Mathematics, Psychology and 8 more · jobs: ICT intelligent systems designer
Junior visual effects - VFX artist or assistant technical director - ATDLevel 4 (higher) apprenticeship · creative and design · uses scale, data collection, data structure from Psychology, Art and Design, Chemistry and 6 more · jobs: 3D modeller, technical director, animation layout artist
Admissions

How do you get a place?

The last distance at which Alder Grange School offered Year 7 places is not yet on file; it comes from Lancashire’s allocation statistics.

  1. 31 OctApply to Lancashire in Year 6 for a Year 7 place
  2. 1 MarNational Offer Day
  3. Dec–FebYear 11: apply directly to the sixth form; most close applications in these months
Lancashire

Compare with nearby schools

Stayed in education at 16 · Attainment 8 · pupils

Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.