Pool House Community Primary School
102%
Capacity
179
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Pool House Community Primary School
Pool House Community Primary School in Preston holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained since its most recent ungraded inspection in 2022, which confirmed the school remains Good. The most telling exam metric comes from the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, where 68% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That figure sits comfortably above the Lancashire local authority average of 60% for the same measure, placing the school 14th out of 45 primary schools in Preston. In the North West region, it ranks 731st out of 2,065 schools, and nationally it sits in the 36th percentile. While no pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects, individual subject scores tell a more nuanced story: the maths average score was 105, with 12% reaching the higher standard, and 84% met expectations in reading, writing and maths separately.
Digging deeper into the Ofsted history, the school’s previous graded inspection in 2014 also awarded a Good overall, with leadership and management rated Good and early years provision at Requires Improvement. The 2022 ungraded inspection found no change to the overall rating, suggesting consistent leadership under headteacher Julie Cole. The school has 179 pupils against a capacity of 175, so it is slightly over capacity, and 34.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The school’s Progress 8 scores are not available, but the Key Stage 2 average scores of 105 in maths and 103 in reading indicate solid attainment. For parents comparing options, the nearest Outstanding-rated school is The Olive School, Preston, 2.8 km away.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a Forest School, sports hall, playing fields, art studios, music rooms and a library, plus a chapel. Sports include cricket, rounders, cross country and dance, and clubs such as Eco Club, Gardening, Book Club and Science Club are available. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists provisions for moderate and severe learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. Admissions for 2025/26 show the school is oversubscribed: 42 applications for 24 places, with 21 offers made to first-preference applicants out of 24 first-preference applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.75. This is a community primary school that suits families seeking a solid, Good-rated option with above-average academic outcomes and strong SEND support, though competition for places is high.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Kidsgrove, Ingol, Preston, Preston, PR2 7BX |
| Headteacher | Julie Cole |
| Local Authority | Lancashire |
| Number of Pupils | 179 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 34.1% |
| School Capacity | 179 / 175 (102% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
19 Oct 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (19 Oct 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 23 May 2014. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (68%)
5012th of 13,686
Nationally
731st of 2,065
In North West
14th of 45
In Preston
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
68%
Expected Standard
0%
Higher Standard
'22/23
68%
'23/24
68%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
8Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed24
42
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
24 families put this school as their 1st choice (57% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:15
Breakfast club
08:00-08:50
After-school care
15:15-17:30
Source: poolhouse.lancs.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British68.2%
- Asian9.5%
- Mixed8.4%
- White (other)3.4%
- Black1.1%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Better than half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
7
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Pool House Community Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Kidsgrove, Ingol, Preston
Preston, PR2 7BX
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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