St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School

About St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School in West Lancashire is a state-funded Roman Catholic primary for children aged 2 to 11, and its intake numbers tell a striking story. The school has capacity for 330 pupils but currently teaches just 170, meaning it is running at just over half its physical size. That spare capacity is not for want of demand: for the 2025/26 reception intake, the school received 35 applications for just 12 places, with 11 of those going to first-preference families, giving an oversubscription ratio of nearly three to one. The pupil body is notably diverse in socio-economic terms, with 53.4 per cent of children eligible for free school meals — well above the national average for primary schools and a figure that suggests the school serves a community with significant levels of disadvantage. This combination of high demand and high FSM eligibility makes St Francis a school that is clearly valued by local families despite operating well below its physical capacity.

Academically, the picture is mixed but shows solid foundations. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2024, the school was rated Good across all five graded categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — a consistent improvement from its previous inspection in 2015, where early years provision was rated Requires Improvement. At Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year, 50 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the Lancashire local authority average of 60 per cent. However, individual subject results were stronger: 72 per cent met expectations in reading and writing, and 67 per cent in maths. Reading scores averaged 104 and maths 101, both close to the national benchmark of 100. The school ranks 39th out of 48 primary schools in West Lancashire on the combined expected standard metric, placing it in the bottom half locally and around the 77th percentile nationally.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a Forest School, sports hall, ICT suite, art studios, a sensory room and a chapel, alongside clubs such as coding, chess, science and eco club. Sports provision covers athletics, netball, swimming, rounders and tennis. For children with additional needs, the school has a dedicated SEN unit and supports a wide spectrum of needs including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. There is nursery provision for two-year-olds upwards. Given its strong Catholic character, high FSM intake and oversubscribed reception places, St Francis is likely to suit families who prioritise a faith-based, inclusive community school with strong pastoral support, and who are comfortable with academic outcomes that are below the local average but delivered in a Good-rated environment. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Crawford Village Primary School, 2.2 kilometres away.

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