Clifton Primary School

About Clifton Primary School

Clifton Primary School sits in the bottom half of primary schools in Lancashire when it comes to the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. Just 39% of its Year 6 pupils hit that benchmark in the 2023/24 academic year, compared with a local authority average of 60%. That gap of 21 percentage points is significant, and it places the school 376th out of 480 primaries in the county. The picture is similar in maths, where 52% of pupils met the expected standard against a national average that typically sits higher, and only 9% reached the higher standard. Reading fares better: 70% of pupils achieved the expected level, with an average scaled score of 102, though again the proportion reaching the higher standard is low at 12%. These headline figures suggest a school where core academic outcomes are an area for development, particularly in maths and writing.

The school's most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in 2015, rated it Good overall, with leadership and management, behaviour and safety, and early years provision all judged Good. A subsequent ungraded inspection in July 2024 confirmed that the school remains Good, meaning leaders have maintained the quality of education since the last full inspection. The early years provision was again rated Good. There is no published Progress 8 data for this primary school, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points. However, the Ofsted report notes that the school has a nursery provision, and the breakdown of results shows that while reading outcomes are broadly in line with expectations, maths and writing lag behind. The school's ranking in the bottom 50 nationally for the combined expected standard reinforces the message that academic performance is an area of focus.

Clifton Primary is a smaller-than-average school, with 210 pupils on roll against a capacity of 245, and it is oversubscribed: for 15 places in the 2025/26 reception intake, there were 75 applications, giving a ratio of five applicants per place. That level of demand suggests strong local reputation despite the middling results. The school offers a range of facilities including a sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, art studios and a sensory room, plus clubs such as gardening, coding, film club and drama. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties and speech, language and communication needs. For families prioritising a well-equipped, community-focused primary with good pastoral support and a broad extracurricular offer, Clifton may be a good fit, though those seeking strong academic outcomes may want to look at higher-performing local options such as Our Lady Star of the Sea, 1.2 km away.

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