Carter's Charity Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Preesall

About Carter's Charity Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Preesall

Carter's Charity Voluntary Controlled Primary School in Preesall was rated Requires Improvement in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2016. The school's leadership and management, along with the quality of education, were both judged to require improvement, though inspectors noted that personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and early years provision all remain Good. On the most informative exam metric available, the school's Key Stage 2 results for 2023/24 show that 59% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. This is just one point below the Lancashire local authority average of 60%, placing the school in a very similar position to many others in the area. However, the proportion reaching the higher standard in all three subjects is just 3%, which is notably low and suggests that while most children are keeping pace with the basics, stretching the most able remains a challenge.

Digging deeper into the 2023/24 SATs results, the school performs unevenly across subjects. In writing, 79% of pupils reached the expected standard, which is a solid result, and 72% did so in reading. Maths is the weaker core subject, with 69% at the expected level and a slightly below-average average scaled score of 104. The picture for higher attainment is mixed: 31% of pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, but only 10% did so in writing and 28% in maths. The school ranks 28th out of 35 primary schools in the Wyre local authority, placing it in the bottom 50% nationally. Its ranking score of 59 puts it well behind the top-performing local schools like Crawford Village Primary School, which scored 100. There is no progress data available for reading, writing or maths, so it is difficult to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points.

The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 30 applications for 16 places and all 16 first-preference applicants receiving an offer, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.88. It serves a community with above-average disadvantage, as 27% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. Facilities include a sports hall, playing fields, music rooms, an ICT suite, a sensory room, a library, art studios and an outdoor playground. The school offers a range of sports including football, cricket, swimming and tennis, plus clubs such as art, gardening and eco club. It has a broad SEND offer, with provisions for specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language needs, hearing impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a small, community-focused primary that may suit families who value its inclusive SEND support and range of activities, but who are realistic about its academic performance being around the local average.

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