Hornby St Margaret's Church of England Primary School

About Hornby St Margaret's Church of England Primary School

Hornby St Margaret's Church of England Primary School is a small state primary in the Lancashire local authority, serving just 39 pupils from ages 4 to 11. It sits within the Lancaster borough, and its most recent ranking places it 31st out of 46 primary schools in the area, putting it in the bottom half of local schools. For context, the top-performing peers in the same authority include Crawford Village Primary School, New Longton All Saints CofE Primary School, and St George's Church of England Primary School in Chorley, all of which score significantly higher on the ranking metric. The school's small size is a defining feature — with a capacity of 70, it is currently well under-filled, and only 7.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the national average. Oversubscription data for 2025/26 shows that the school received 23 applications for just 5 places, with 4 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 4.6, which suggests strong local demand despite its middling rank.

Academically, the school's most recent KS2 results from 2023/24 paint a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 55%, which is slightly below the Lancashire local authority average of 60%. In reading, 64% met the expected standard and 36% achieved a higher score, with an average scaled score of 105. Maths saw 64% at the expected standard and 18% at the higher level, with an average score of 99. Writing was similar, with 64% reaching the expected standard but none achieving the higher mark. The school's national ranking places it in the bottom 50% of primaries, at 9,409th out of 13,686 schools. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024 rated overall effectiveness as Requires Improvement, a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2011. The inspection found that quality of education, early years provision, and leadership and management all require improvement, while personal development and behaviour and attitudes were judged Good.

The school offers a range of facilities including a gymnasium, library, outdoor playground, sensory room, dining hall, playing fields, art studios and a chapel. Sports provision includes football, tennis, cricket and dance, and there are clubs for chess, book club, gardening, choir, art and science. SEND support is available for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, and speech, language and communication needs. Given its small roll, this school will particularly suit families who value a close-knit, Church of England environment with strong pastoral care — the Good ratings for personal development and behaviour suggest a supportive atmosphere. However, parents should weigh this against the Requires Improvement judgement for academic quality and leadership. The school is oversubscribed, so early application is advisable, and its rural Lancaster location may appeal to those seeking a village-style primary with a strong community feel.

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