Schools

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Director of Children's Services: Jacqui Old CBE
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School-age population

Table of school-age population
Number in Lancashire % in Lancashire1 % National1
Primary-age pupils (ages 5 to 11) 103,089 8.0% 8.2%
Secondary-age pupils (ages 12 to 16) 78,801 6.1% 6.2%

Mid-year population estimates, Office for National Statistics, NOMIS, published 11 September 2025

Disadvantaged

Population of looked-after-children

In Lancashire, 0.4% of children ages 5 to 9 and 0.8% of children ages 10 to 15 are looked after compared to 0.4% and 0.7% nationally, respectively.

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Chart showing the population of looked-after-children

Table showing the population of looked-after-children

Table of population of looked-after-children
Number in Lancashire % in Lancashire1 % National1
Ages 5 to 9 297 0.4% 0.4%
Ages 10 to 15 711 0.8% 0.7%

Children looked after in England including adoptions, Department for Education, published 29 December 2025

Pupils eligible for free school meals

In Lancashire, 26% of pupils are eligible for free school meals compared to 27% nationally.

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Chart showing the population of pupils eligible for free school meals

Table showing the population of pupils eligible for free school meals

Table of pupils eligible for free school meals
Number in Lancashire % in Lancashire % National
Primary 23,578 25% 25%
Secondary 18,602 27% 29%
Alternative provision 508 69% 67%
Special 1,743 49% 51%
Non-maintained special – – 31%
Total 44,431 26% 27%

Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Department for Education, published 14 October 2026

Pupils eligible for pupil premium

In Lancashire, 29% of pupils are eligible for pupil premium compared to 30% nationally.

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Chart showing the population of pupils eligible for pupil premium

Table showing the population of pupils eligible for pupil premium

Table of pupils eligible for pupil premium
Number in Lancashire % in Lancashire2 % National2
Primary 23,230 24% 25%
Secondary 20,689 28% 31%
Other 4,757 – –
Total 48,676 29% 30%

Pupil premium: allocations and conditions of grant 2026 to 2027, Education and Skills Funding Agency and Department for Education, published 14 October 2026

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)

In Lancashire, 20% of pupils have SEN support or an EHC plan compared to 21% nationally.

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Chart showing the population of pupils with SEN support or an EHC plan

Table showing the population of pupils with SEN support or an EHC plan

Table of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities
Number in Lancashire % in Lancashire % National
Primary 17,669 18% 19%
Secondary 12,017 17% 18%
Alternative provision 572 77% 85%
Special 4,062 100% 100%
Non-maintained special 0 0% 100%
Total 36,872 20% 21%

Special educational needs in England, Department for Education, published 14 October 2026

Pupils with English as an additional language

In Lancashire, 15% of pupils have English as an additional language compared to 22% nationally.

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Chart showing the population of pupils with English as additional language

Table showing the population of pupils with English as additional language

Table of pupils with English as an additional language
Number in Lancashire % in Lancashire % National
Primary 16,115 17% 24%
Secondary 9,065 13% 19%
Alternative provision 18 2.4% 7.1%
Special 418 10% 15%
Non-maintained special – – 11%
Total 25,616 15% 22%

Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Department for Education, published 14 October 2026

Children being home educated

In Lancashire, 1.6% of pupils are being home educated compared to 1.5% nationally.

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Chart showing the population of pupils being home educated

Table showing the population of pupils being home educated

Table showing number and percentage of children being home educated
Number in Lancashire % in Lancashire % National
Primary 720 0.7% 0.8%
Secondary 2,260 2.9% 2.5%
Total 2,980 1.6% 1.5%
More details about the children being home educated numbers
Local authority data in the source dataset has been rounded to the nearest 10. As a result totals may not equal the sum of their component parts.
Elective home education, Department for Education, published 6 February 2026

Population receiving education outside of their local authority

Table of population receiving education outside of their local authority
Number outside of Lancashire % outside of Lancashire2 % National2
Primary 2,345 2.5% 4.1%
Secondary 3,476 5.0% 8.7%
Special 163 4.7% 9.0%

Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Department for Education, published 3 December 2025

Attainment

Primary

Year 1 phonics screening pass Number in Lancashire % in Lancashire2 % National2
All pupils 10,087 79% 82%
Pupils eligible for free school meals 1,692 63% 68%
Pupils with SEND 891 40% 46%
Pupils with English as an additional language 1,744 79% 82%

Phonics screening check attainment, Department for Education, published 29 October 2026

Year 4 times table check (full marks) Number in Lancashire % in Lancashire2 % National2
All pupils 4,676 32% 37%
Pupils eligible for free school meals 882 22% 27%
Pupils with SEND 338 12% 16%
Pupils with English as an additional language 931 40% 45%

Multiplication tables check attainment, Department for Education, published 29 October 2026

Key stage 2 reading, writing, maths combined (met the expected standard) Number in Lancashire % in Lancashire2 % National2
All pupils 8,623 59% 63%
Pupils eligible for free school meals 1,829 42% 48%
Pupils with SEND 670 20% 26%
Pupils with English as an additional language 1,363 57% 66%

Key stage 2 attainment, Department for Education, published 29 October 2026

Secondary

Attainment 8 Average in Lancashire2 National average2
All pupils 45.1 46.0
Pupils eligible for free school meals 33.0 35.0
Pupils with SEND 27.1 28.2

Key stage 4 performance, Department for Education, published 29 October 2026

Attendance

The weekly attendance rate places special (90%) schools in the top 10% of all areas in England.
attendance of all pupils up to week 27 of calendar year
Attendance of all pupils up to week 27 of calendar year % in Lancashire2 % National2
Primary 95% 95%
Secondary 91% 91%
Special 90% 87%

Pupil attendance (weekly - week 27), Department for Education, published 17 August 2026

attendance of all pupils eligible for free school meals (spring term)
Attendance of pupils eligible for free school meals (spring term) % in Lancashire2 % National2
Primary 92% 92%
Secondary 86% 87%
Special 87% 85%

Pupil attendance in schools by FSM and SEN - Spring term, Department for Education, published 11 October 2026

attendance of pupils with send (spring term)
Attendance of pupils with send (spring term) % in Lancashire2 % National2
Primary 93% 92%
Secondary 86% 85%
Special 89% 87%

Pupil attendance in schools by FSM and SEN - Spring term, Department for Education, published 11 October 2026

Suspensions and permanent exclusions

Suspensions

Primary school suspensions
Suspensions (from primary schools) Number in Lancashire Rate per 100 pupils in Lancashire3 Rate per 100 pupils National3
Total number of suspensions 2,577 2.6 2.5
Total pupils with one or more suspensions 1,176 1.2 1.1
Pupils with one or more suspensions who are eligible for free school meals 703 3.0 2.6
Pupils with one or more suspensions with SEND 807 4.9 4.7
Secondary school suspensions
Suspensions (from secondary schools) Number in Lancashire Rate per 100 pupils in Lancashire3 Rate per 100 pupils National3
Total number of suspensions 15,747 21.6 21.2
Total pupils with one or more suspensions 5,861 8.1 7.3
Pupils with one or more suspensions who are eligible for free school meals 3,061 16.9 15.6
Pupils with one or more suspensions with SEND 1,861 16.9 16.4
Special school suspensions
Suspensions (from special schools) Number in Lancashire Rate per 100 pupils in Lancashire3 Rate per 100 pupils National3
Total number of suspensions 156 4.0 12.3
Total pupils with one or more suspensions 81 2.1 5.1
Pupils with one or more suspensions who are eligible for free school meals 52 2.9 7.3
Pupils with one or more suspensions with SEND 81 2.1 5.1
More details about suspensions from state-funded primary schools and totals not summing
Suspensions data on total number of pupils may not match, as a change in a pupil’s category within the same term results in them being counted separately under each category. For example, if a pupil receives multiple suspensions while classified as not having SEN, and then receives additional suspensions after being reclassified as receiving SEN support during the same term, they will be recorded as two separate enrolments in the data.

Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Department for Education, published 8 July 2026

Permanent exclusions

Primary school permanent exclusions
Exclusions (from primary schools) Number in Lancashire % in Lancashire2 % National2
Total number of pupils excluded 69 0.1% 0%
Pupils eligible for free school meals 47 0.2% 0.1%
Pupils with SEND 55 0.3% 0.2%
Secondary school permanent exclusions
Exclusions (from secondary schools) Number in Lancashire % in Lancashire2 % National2
Total number of pupils excluded 382 0.5% 0.2%
Pupils eligible for free school meals 245 1.4% 0.6%
Pupils with SEND 153 1.4% 0.7%
Special school permanent exclusions
Exclusions (from special schools) Number in Lancashire % in Lancashire2 % National2
Total number of pupils excluded 7 0.2% 0.1%
Pupils eligible for free school meals 5 0.3% 0.1%
Pupils with SEND 7 0.2% 0.1%

Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Department for Education, published 8 July 2026

1. % of all children in Lancashire / England.

2. % of all pupils in state-funded settings across Lancashire / England.

3. Rate per 100 pupils in state-funded settings across Lancashire / England.