Unity College Catchment Area
Unity College is a foundation secondary school in Burnley, Lancashire , serving pupils aged 11-16, with 1416 pupils, and a capacity of 1480 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
11-16
Age range
1,416
Pupils
1,480
Capacity
96%
Fill rate
Requires improvement
Ofsted 2024
Unity College Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Unity College?
The catchment area for Unity College is the geographic zone Lancashire uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Lancashire publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Secondary school places at Unity College are allocated by Lancashire using ranked oversubscription criteria. Catchment area residence is typically among the highest priorities after looked-after children and siblings, and the boundary is reviewed each year.
Get an alert if Unity College goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Lancashire before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Lancashire catchment area documents →Unity College: 1480 places, 96% filled: nearing capacity
Unity College has a published admission number of 1480 places. 1416 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 96%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 1480, Lancashire's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 34.2% of pupils at Unity College are eligible for free school meals, broadly in line with the national average. This reflects a mixed catchment population across Lancashire.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Lancashire publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Lancashire Council school admissions (official) →
Unity College: School Information
- Full address
- Townley Holmes, Burnley, BB11 3DF
- Local authority
- Lancashire
- School type
- Foundation school
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-16 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 34.2% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 135003
Other Secondary Schools in Burnley
If Unity College is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Burnley are the next closest alternatives.
Shuttleworth College Catchment Area
Foundation school · BB12 8ST
Sir John Thursby Community College Catchment Area
Foundation school · BB10 2AT
Burnley High School Catchment Area
Free schools · BB12 6NX
Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy Catchment Area
Academy converter · BB10 3AA
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to Unity College by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: Unity College
What is the catchment area for Unity College? ▾
The catchment area for Unity College is the geographic zone Lancashire uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Lancashire publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Unity College oversubscribed? ▾
Unity College is operating close to its capacity of 1480 places (96% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for Unity College? ▾
Admission to Unity College is managed by Lancashire. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does Unity College cover? ▾
Unity College is a secondary school in Burnley, Lancashire, serving pupils aged 11-16. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Unity College? ▾
Unity College was rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in 2024. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.