SchoolFacts.uk

School admissions in Lancaster

How heavily each school was applied to for September 2026 entry, from the applications and offers every admissions authority reports to the DfE. 5 of these schools also have a published admissions cutoff distance. Sorted by first preferences per place. We don't invent rankings: the order is arithmetic on a published figure, not a view about which school is better.

Lancaster in figures

For Reception places in September 2026, families named the 25 schools in Lancaster first 532 times for 541 places: 0.98 first choices per place. 3 of the 25 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, 2 schools here gave their last places on distance, from 0.90 miles (St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, Lancaster) to 1.10 miles (St Wilfrid's Cof E Primary School).

For Year 7 places in September 2026, families named the 5 schools in Lancaster first 978 times for 925 places: 1.06 first choices per place. 3 of the 5 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, one school here gave its last places on distance: Lancaster High School, to 4.40 miles.

Totals for the schools listed on this page. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE; last-offer distances as the council published them.

Reception places, September 2026

25 schools. 3 received more first preferences than they had places.

SchoolFirst preferences per placePlacesCutoff distance
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, LancasterLancaster1.27300.9 miles 2026
St Wilfrid's Cof E Primary SchoolLancaster1.14291.1 miles 2026
Caton St Paul's Church of England Primary SchoolLancaster1.1225not published
Austwick Church of England VA Primary SchoolLancaster1.003not published
Castle View Primary AcademyLancaster1.007not published
Cawthorne's Endowed SchoolLancaster1.001not published
Dolphinholme Church of England Primary SchoolLancaster1.0014not published
Ellel St John the Evangelist Church of England Primary SchoolLancaster1.0028not published
Hornby St Margaret's Church of England Primary SchoolLancaster1.001not published
Lancaster Dallas Road Community Primary SchoolLancaster1.0042not published
St Josephs Catholic Primary School, LancasterLancaster1.009not published
Tatham Fells Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolLancaster1.005not published
The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, LancasterLancaster1.0018not published
Wray with Botton Endowed Primary SchoolLancaster1.007not published
Scotforth St Paul's Church of England Primary and Nursery SchoolLancaster0.9627not published
Bowerham Primary & Nursery SchoolLancaster0.9652not published
Lancaster Christ Church Church of England Primary SchoolLancaster0.9521not published
Bentham Community Primary SchoolLANCASTER0.9520not published
Moorside Primary SchoolLancaster0.9447not published
Skerton St Luke's Church of England Primary SchoolLancaster0.9329not published
Willow Lane Community Primary SchoolLancaster0.9328not published
Caton Primary SchoolLancaster0.9212not published
Lancaster Ryelands Primary SchoolLancaster0.9144not published
Quernmore Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolLancaster0.8312not published
Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary SchoolLancaster0.8330not published

First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.

Year 7 places, September 2026

5 schools. 3 received more first preferences than they had places.

SchoolFirst preferences per placePlacesCutoff distance
Ripley St Thomas Church of England AcademyLancaster1.22289not published
Lancaster Girls' Grammar SchoolLancaster1.13184not published
Lancaster Royal Grammar SchoolLancaster1.12164not published
Lancaster High SchoolLancaster0.841224.4 miles 2026
Our Lady's Catholic CollegeLancaster0.80166not published

First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.