Clitheroe Pendle Primary School

About Clitheroe Pendle Primary School

Clitheroe Pendle Primary School’s headline metrics place it well above the Lancashire local authority average for primary schools. While the LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined (KS2 RWM) sits at 60%, Clitheroe Pendle achieves a strong 84% — a full 24 percentage points higher. This performance ranks the school 5th out of 25 primary schools in the Ribble Valley, placing it in the top 20% locally, and 107th out of 2,065 primaries across the North West region. Nationally, it sits in the top 6% of all primary schools. The school’s ranking score of 84 reflects consistent attainment across the three core subjects, and its position among the top 10% of schools in its tier underscores a level of academic performance that comfortably outpaces the typical school in its local authority.

Digging into the 2023/24 KS2 results, the school’s strengths are clear. In maths, 94% of pupils reached the expected standard, with 55% achieving the higher standard; the average score was 109. Reading saw 90% at expected and 49% at the higher threshold, also averaging 109. Writing followed a similar pattern, with 90% at expected and 33% at the higher level. The combined expected standard of 84% is notably robust. Ofsted’s most recent graded inspection in July 2024 rated the school Good across all five categories — overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management — as well as in early years provision. This is a step down from its previous Outstanding rating in 2012, but the school remains solidly Good, with no areas flagged as requiring improvement.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 126 applications for 50 places, with 44 first-preference offers made from 50 first-preference applications — a ratio of 2.52 applicants per place. Facilities include an art studio, ICT suite, playing fields, forest school, gymnasium, music rooms and a chapel. Sports on offer include rounders, tennis, dance and swimming, while clubs range from choir and coding to book club, chess and art club. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties (including dyslexia), social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties. With 7.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals — below the national average — and a near-full capacity of 348 pupils, this is a popular, well-resourced primary that suits families seeking strong academic outcomes within a supportive, structured environment.

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