Holy Cross Catholic High SchoolParklands High School

Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Chorley.

Summary of the comparison

Holy Cross Catholic High School and Parklands High School are secondary schools in Chorley.

  • Holy Cross Catholic High School scores 72 out of 100 (grade B, strong) and Parklands High School scores 63 out of 100 (grade C, average). Holy Cross Catholic High School is ahead on our composite score.

  • Holy Cross Catholic High School was judged Good and Parklands High School was judged Good.

  • On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 55.4 for Holy Cross Catholic High School and 49.1 for Parklands High School.

  • GCSE Attainment 8 has held broadly level at Holy Cross Catholic High School (57.1 in 2021-22, 55.4 in 2025-26) and has fallen at Parklands High School (54.1 in 2021-22, 49.1 in 2025-26).

Side-by-side comparison

Holy Cross Catholic High School versus Parklands High School compared on inspection, results, pupils and attendance.
Measure ChorleyHoly Cross Catholic High SchoolChorleyParklands High SchoolEngland average
Overview
Our scoreB72/100Stronger figureC63/100
Local ranking14th of 82 in Lancashire Stronger figure20th of 82 in Lancashire
InspectionOfsted: GoodOfsted: Good
School typeVoluntary aided school Academy converter
PhaseSecondary Secondary
Age range11-16 11-16
GenderMixed Mixed
Pupils on roll976 1,102
Capacity975 1,116
LocationChorley, PR7 3LS Chorley, PR7 1LL
GCSE results
Attainment 855.4 Stronger figure49.1 46.2
Grade 5+ in English & maths62.1% Stronger figure43.1% 46.3%
Grade 4+ in English & maths82.1% Stronger figure66.0% 64.8%
Cohort190 209
Pupils
Pupils in the census977 1,106
Free school meals (ever 6)13.0% 28.5%
English as an additional language6.6% 4.2%
SEN support14.6% 15.7%
SEN with an EHC plan3.6% 2.2%
Attendance
Overall absence7.0% 6.7% Stronger figure6.2%
Persistent absence17.0% Stronger figure17.9% 15.8%

marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.

Historical trends

Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.

GCSE Attainment 8

GCSE Progress 8

Overall absence

Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)

Pupils on roll

Ethnicity over time

One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.

Holy Cross Catholic High School

Parklands High School

Full profiles: Holy Cross Catholic High School · Parklands High School