Kennington Primary School

About Kennington Primary School

Kennington Primary School is a state primary in Preston that is genuinely popular with local families. Its admission data for the 2025/26 intake shows it was oversubscribed by a factor of 2.41, with 82 applications for just 34 places and only 25 first-preference offers made. That level of demand is striking for a school whose 247 pupils already fill its capacity of 245 almost exactly. The pupil body is notably diverse in terms of disadvantage: 23.5% of children are eligible for free school meals, which is well above the national primary average of around 23% and suggests the school serves a broad cross-section of the community. Simon Pritchard is the headteacher, and the school has no religious character, no nursery provision, and no sixth form. It is a straightforward, all-through primary for children aged 4 to 11.

Academically, Kennington performs solidly but not spectacularly. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 54% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the Lancashire local authority average of 60%. That places the school 291st out of 480 primary schools in the county and in the bottom 50% nationally. However, the picture is more nuanced when you look at individual subjects: 86% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, and 71% in writing, with maths at 69%. The average reading score was 105 and maths 103, both slightly above the national benchmark of 100. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024 rated it Good overall, with Outstanding marks for early years provision, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes. That is a clear improvement from its previous Good inspection in 2019, where those areas were all rated Good.

The school offers a strong set of facilities for a primary of its size, including a forest school, art studios, music rooms, a gymnasium, and playing fields. Clubs include choir, chess, gardening and science club, and sports on offer are tennis, dance, athletics and rounders. SEND provision is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, hearing impairment and physical disability. For families considering Kennington, the key takeaway is that it is a well-regarded, oversubscribed local school with improving Ofsted grades and a broad curriculum, but its core academic results are slightly below the Lancashire average. It will suit parents who prioritise a positive, well-behaved environment and strong early years provision over top-tier exam scores.

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