Calder Vale St John Church of England Primary School

About Calder Vale St John Church of England Primary School

Calder Vale St John Church of England Primary School is a small village primary in Wyre, Lancashire, with just 37 pupils against a capacity of 60. That spare space is notable given the school's intake profile: a third of its pupils (33.3%) are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average of around 23% for primary schools, suggesting it serves a community with above-average deprivation. Despite this, demand is modestly healthy. For the 2025/26 reception intake, the school offered 6 places and received 7 total applications, with 3 first-preference applications and 3 first-preference offers made. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 1.17, meaning the school is just slightly oversubscribed but not heavily fought over. The headteacher, Rebecca Scholz, leads a mixed Church of England school for ages 3 to 11, with a nursery on site. The school's small size means class groups are tiny, which can be a draw for families seeking a close-knit, rural setting where every child is known well.

Academically, the picture is mixed and reflects the challenges of a small cohort. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, no pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, and the school ranks bottom of all 35 primary schools in Wyre on that metric. Nationally, it sits in the bottom 1% of schools. Digging into the individual subjects, 17% of pupils met the expected standard in reading and 33% in maths, but none did in writing. Average scaled scores were 97 in reading and 93 in maths, both below the national benchmark of 100. The local authority average for expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined is 60%, so Calder Vale's 0% is a stark outlier. However, with such a small year group — likely just 6 pupils — a single child's result swings the percentages dramatically. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2021 graded it Good overall, with Good for leadership and management, a significant improvement from its Requires Improvement rating in 2008.

The school offers a surprising breadth of facilities for its size, including a sports hall, forest school, sensory room, ICT suite, library, music rooms, chapel and playing fields. Clubs range from eco club and coding to chess, science club, choir and art club, while sports include football, cricket, swimming, dance, athletics and tennis. For SEND, the school supports social, emotional and mental health needs, plus speech, language and communication needs. Given its small roll, high FSM intake and below-national-average outcomes, this school will suit families who prioritise a nurturing, rural Church of England environment over league-table performance, and who value the individual attention that comes with a tiny cohort. It is not a school for those focused on academic rigour or competitive results, but for families who want their child to be part of a close community with strong pastoral support and a forest school ethos.

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