The Valley Leadership AcademyBacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side.
Summary of the comparison
The Valley Leadership Academy and Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School are secondary schools.
The Valley Leadership Academy scores 34 out of 100 (grade F, weak) and Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School scores 79 out of 100 (grade B, strong). Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School is ahead on our composite score.
The Valley Leadership Academy was judged the expected standard and Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School was judged exceptional.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 34.3 for The Valley Leadership Academy and 75.5 for Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School.
GCSE Attainment 8 has held broadly level at The Valley Leadership Academy (32.9 in 2021-22, 34.3 in 2025-26) and has risen at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School (72.0 in 2023-24, 75.5 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | BacupThe Valley Leadership Academy | RossendaleBacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | F34/100 | B79/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 76th of 82 in Lancashire | 5th of 82 in Lancashire Stronger figure | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Expected | Ofsted: ExceptionalStronger figure | |
| School type | Academy sponsor led | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-16 | 11-18 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 578 | 1,087 | |
| Capacity | 1,050 | 1,260 | |
| Location | Bacup, OL13 0TG | Rossendale, BB4 7BJ | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 34.3 | 75.5 Stronger figure | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 36.8% | 98.8% Stronger figure | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 48.2% | 100.0% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 114 | 163 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | Not reported | 94 | |
| A-level average points | Not reported | 39.5 | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | Not reported | B | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | Not reported | 39.8 | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | Not reported | 31.2% | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 589 | 1,056 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 46.9% | 7.9% | |
| English as an additional language | 1.9% | 7.3% | |
| SEN support | 22.6% | 7.9% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 3.2% | 0.8% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 15.4% | 4.6% Stronger figure | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 45.1% | 7.1% Stronger figure | 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.
The Valley Leadership Academy
Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School
Full profiles: The Valley Leadership Academy · Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School