Oswaldtwistle St Paul's Church of England Primary School

About Oswaldtwistle St Paul's Church of England Primary School

Oswaldtwistle St Paul's Church of England Primary School matches the Lancashire local authority average exactly for the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2, with both sitting at 60%. That puts the school in 241st place out of 480 primary schools across the county, and 10th out of 31 in Hyndburn. For a school where 53.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals — well above the national average — hitting the LA benchmark is a notable achievement. The school’s overall Ofsted rating is Good, a clear improvement from its previous Requires Improvement judgement. Its most recent graded inspection in 2016 and an ungraded visit in 2021 both confirmed the Good rating, with leadership and management, early years provision, and behaviour all judged Good. Headteacher Rachel Wells has overseen that upward trajectory.

Looking at the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results in more detail, the picture is strongest in maths. 72% of pupils met the expected standard and 32% reached the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 106. Reading was similar at the expected level, with 72% reaching it, though only 16% hit the higher standard and the average score was 104. Writing was the weakest area: 60% at the expected standard and none at the higher level. Nationally, the school sits in the 56th percentile, and in the North West it is in the 53rd percentile — comfortably within the middle half of all primaries. No progress scores are available in the data, so it is not possible to assess how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. Still, the raw outcomes show a school delivering solid core results, particularly in maths, despite serving a community with above-average disadvantage.

The school is clearly in demand locally. For 2025/26 admissions, it received 43 applications for just 15 places, with all 15 first-preference applicants offered a spot — an oversubscription ratio of 2.87 to one. Facilities are generous for a primary of this size, including a sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, music rooms, a library, a sensory room, and a chapel. The school runs clubs covering film, art, eco, gardening and science, plus sports including netball, swimming, tennis, cross country and cricket. Its SEND provision covers moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder, physical disability, and social, emotional and mental health support. This is a church school that combines strong community demand with decent academic outcomes and a broad offer, particularly suited to families who want a primary experience with good facilities and a wide range of activities in a smaller setting.

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