Schools in Preston

Preston has 176 schools including 122 primaries and 22 secondaries, primarily coordinated by Lancashire County Council with a small number under the remit of neighbouring councils. The city has one of the highest concentrations of faith schools in the North West — 93 of 176 schools have a religious character, predominantly Roman Catholic and Church of England, meaning faith criteria govern more than half of all admission decisions in the area.

Oversubscription is widespread: 51 of 158 schools with published capacity data are at or above roll. Two selective schools require a test pass for grammar entry. For Roman Catholic schools in particular, parish boundaries often extend well beyond the school's immediate neighbourhood, so families outside the local area may still qualify for a priority place. Lancashire publishes last-distance-offered data in its co-ordinated admissions booklet each autumn.