Hope School
Same Lancashire area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
Kirkham Grammar School is a private secondary-stage school in Preston, Lancashire, with a published age range of 2-19.
Private school Co-ed Ages 2-19 Sixth form Boarding school
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-19
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
Kirkham Grammar School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-19
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Kirkham Grammar School's story is rooted in parish life: its commonly accepted foundation date is 1549, and its connection with St Michael's Parish Church remains part of its identity. It moved to Ribby Road in 1911, became independent in 1979 and returned to co-education that year. The result is a mixed 2-to-19 route from nursery through Sixth Form.
Senior teaching uses specialist staff, discussion, visits, mentoring and tutoring, with small groups in examination years. In Sixth Form, most pupils study three subjects alongside an activity afternoon and enrichment. BTEC routes are available in business, science and sport, and Oxbridge preparation runs across departments. The curriculum also offers the chance to become an NCO in the CCF.
Boarding takes place in one co-educational house for pupils aged 11 to 18, with full, weekly and flexi options plus trial nights. Applications are direct and the school offers visits and open events. The provision combines day education with a boarding facility and includes a Sixth Form.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 42.6 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 14.1% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Lancashire and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 42.6
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 0%
- EBacc APS
- 3.58
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Lancashire and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 2-19
- Headmaster
- Mrs Kirsten O'Donoghue
- Pupil roll
- 670 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Boarding
- Boarding school
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Ribby Road, Kirkham, Preston, Lancashire
- Postcode
- PR4 2BH
- Area
- Lancashire
School leadership
- Headmaster
- Mrs Kirsten O'Donoghue
School contact
- School phone
- 01772684264
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions email
- admissions@kirkhamgrammar.co.uk
- Admissions phone
- +441772684264
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Day fees
- £6,617 per term for Senior School day tuition, including VAT, from September 2026
- Boarding fees
- £12,726-£13,047 per term for weekly or full boarding, including VAT, from September 2026
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 42.6 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 0% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 3.58 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 14.1% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 31.55 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 23 January 2024
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2024 records an inspection beginning 23 January 2024. The report says the relevant standards were met.
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Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
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Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
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Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Kirkham Grammar School handle admissions?
Kirkham Grammar School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Kirkham Grammar School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Kirkham Grammar School?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Kirkham Grammar School?
Kirkham Grammar School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 23 January 2024.