Bishop Martin Church of England Primary School

About Bishop Martin Church of England Primary School

Bishop Martin Church of England Primary School in West Lancashire was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2018, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2010. The school’s leadership and management were also judged Good, and an ungraded inspection in 2018 confirmed the school remains Good. For a primary school, the most telling academic metric is Key Stage 2 performance, and here the picture is mixed. The local authority average for pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths is 60%, but Bishop Martin’s own KS2 results are not provided in the available data. However, the school’s high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals — 53.8% — suggests it serves a community with above-average disadvantage, which often depresses headline scores. Parents should weigh this context when interpreting any future published results.

The school’s Ofsted journey shows clear progress. In 2010, inspectors rated overall effectiveness, leadership and management, and early years provision all at grade 3, meaning Requires Improvement. By the 2012 graded inspection, overall effectiveness had risen to grade 2 (Good), and leadership and management had also reached Good. The 2018 ungraded inspection confirmed that Good rating had been sustained. With 195 pupils on roll against a capacity of 315, the school is operating well below capacity, which may reflect local demographic trends or parental choice. The school does not have a sixth form, as it is a primary, and offers nursery provision for children aged 2 and above. Its religious character is Church of England, and the headteacher is Alison Barron.

Bishop Martin offers a broad set of facilities including an outdoor playground, playing fields, an ICT suite, a Forest School, art studios, a dining hall and a chapel. Sports on offer include cross country, football, netball, cricket, swimming and athletics, while clubs include chess, gardening, choir and art club. The school supports a wide range of SEND needs, including moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health, speech language and communication, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school was oversubscribed: 34 applications for 19 places, with all 19 first-preference applicants receiving offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.79. This suggests strong local demand, particularly from families who prioritise the school’s Church of England character and its inclusive SEND provision. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Crawford Village Primary School, 1.8 km away.

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