Ofsted - the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills - inspects and reports on anywhere that provides education for young people in England, including schools, nurseries and childminders.
Schools or organisations are inspected every four years or 30 months depending on their status.
Many parents rely on Ofsted ratings to help them choose a school or nursery.
Here are 23 secondary schools in and around Blackpool that were rated 'outstanding' and 'good' by Ofsted:
1. Park Community Academy, Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 9H
Rating: Outstanding - Inspectors found Park Community Academy is a school where “everyone is welcome,” and “the school’s tenacious approach to enabling pupils to overcome their barriers to learning helps them to thrive.”
2. Pear Tree School, Station Road, Kirkham, Preston, Lancashire, PR4 2HA
Rating: Outstanding - Inspectors said "pupils enjoy an exciting and ambitious curriculum that gives them the tools that they need
to become independent and confident adults."
3. Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School, Holly Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY5 4HH
Rating: Outstanding - Inspectors said "this exceptional school’s core values of learn, care,
challenge and share are at the heart of everything it does."
4. Tower Learning Centre, Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 3QE
Rating: Good - Inspectors said "pupils are nurtured and cared for at Tower Learning Centre."
5. Woodlands School
Rating: Good - The report said: "Older pupils who met with the inspector said that they like coming to school. They
enjoy the outdoor play equipment and being in small groups."
6. St. Mary’s Catholic Academy, St Walburga's Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7EQ
Rating: Good - The report said: "Pupils, and students in the sixth form, told inspectors that they enjoy coming to
school to learn. They feel happy and safe at St Mary’s Catholic Academy. Staff set
high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and achievement."