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OpenSecondaryURN 136731

Ripley St Thomas Church of England Academy

Academy converter · Lancaster · LA1 4RS

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Phase

Secondary

Age range

Ages 11–18

Pupils

1,755

Local authority

Lancashire

Age range

Ages 11–18

05111619

Provision snapshot

Based on official GIAS characteristics

2 / 6

  • Nursery
  • Sixth formHas a sixth form
  • BoardingNo boarders
  • Special school
  • Independent
  • Academy

Local context

How this school sits among open establishments in its area, using official GIAS records. These are counts, not rankings.

Mixed academy converter (secondary), Ages 11–18, in Lancaster, Lancashire, 1,755 pupils on roll. Notable characteristics: sixth form, academy, non-selective admissions. Free school meals: 11.1%. Religious character: Church of England. Diocese: Diocese of Blackburn.

Open schools in Lancaster
41
Secondary schools in Lancaster
5
Academies among open schools in Lancaster
17% (7)
Open schools in LA1
25
Secondary in LA1
5
Open schools in Lancashire LA
709
Secondary in Lancashire LA
81

Nearby secondary schools

Open schools within about 3 miles, prioritising the same phase where possible. Distances are approximate from GIAS coordinates.

Compare with theseAll in LancasterNear LA1

Overview

School type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Age range
11–18
Gender
Mixed
Status
Open
URN
136731

Location

Address
Ashton Road
Postcode
LA1 4RS
Town
Lancaster
County
Lancashire
Local authority
Lancashire
District
Lancaster
Constituency
Lancaster and Wyre
Urban/rural
Urban: Further from a major town or city

Size & intake

Pupil numbers and free school meals come from the GIAS school census fields. Capacity fill is calculated when both pupils and capacity are published. Census date: 15 Jan 2026.

Pupils on roll
1,755
Boys / girls
842 / 913
School capacity
1,754
Capacity fill
1,755 / 1,754 (100%)
Free school meals
11.1%
FSM pupils
159
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Gender
Mixed

School characteristics

Sixth form
Has a sixth form
Boarding
No boarders
Special classes
No Special Classes
Religious character
Church of England
Diocese
Diocese of Blackburn
Governance
Academy trust: THE BAY LEARNING TRUST
Academy trust
THE BAY LEARNING TRUST
Sponsor
The Bay Learning Trust

Contact

Headteacher
Mrs Helen Best and Ms Alexia Barnes
Telephone
0152464496
Website
http://ripleystthomas.com/

Official links

Ofsted

Latest inspection outcomes from Ofsted monthly management information. Report-card grades use the current framework where published; older OEIF grades are shown when that is the latest graded inspection.

Headline

Outstanding

Inspection date

2022-12-14

Overall effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Safeguarding effective
Yes

Read the Ofsted report

Source: Ofsted monthly management information

Performance

Official school-level results from DfE school and college performance tables. Figures are not rankings — suppressed or unavailable values are omitted.

Key stage 4 (2023/24)

Attainment 8
53.9
Progress 8
0.6
English & maths grade 5+
62%
English & maths grade 4+
83%
EBacc entry
24%
EBacc APS
4.7

Source: DfE school and college performance tables

Absence

Pupil absence rates from DfE pupil absence in schools in England. Persistent absence means 10% or more of sessions missed; severe absence means 50% or more. Lower figures are better.

Academic year 2023/24

Overall absence

8.2%

Persistent absence

22.5%

Unauthorised

1.4%

Authorised absence
6.8%
Severe absence (50%+)
2.5%
Enrolments in measure
1,411

Recent years

2022/23
Overall 7.7% · Persistent 22.6%
2021/22
Overall 8.8% · Persistent 25.4%

Source: DfE pupil absence in schools in England