St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Scarisbrick

About St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Scarisbrick

St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Scarisbrick is a small, mixed Roman Catholic primary with 68 pupils on roll against a capacity of 105, meaning it operates at around 65% of its physical space. That spare capacity is notable given the local demand: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 18 applications for 9 places, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of exactly 2:1, and all 9 first-preference applicants were offered a place. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at 16.2%, which is higher than the national primary average of around 23% but still indicates a modest level of disadvantage in the intake. The school serves a largely rural community in West Lancashire, and its Roman Catholic character will appeal to families seeking a faith-based education. With just 68 children across the 4–11 age range, classes are likely to be small, which can be a draw for parents who want a more intimate setting, though the low occupancy also raises questions about whether the school is struggling to attract enough local families.

Academically, the school is currently rated Requires Improvement by Ofsted following its July 2023 graded inspection, a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2013. 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. Key Stage 2 results for 2023/24 paint a challenging picture: just 14% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Lancashire local authority average of 60%. In reading, 57% reached the expected level and 14% achieved a higher standard; in maths, 43% met expectations and 7% reached the higher standard; writing was weaker, with 36% at expected and none at the higher level. The school ranks 45th out of 48 primary schools in West Lancashire on the combined RWM metric, placing it in the bottom 50% nationally. These figures suggest significant work is needed to bring attainment up to local norms.

On the practical side, St Mary's offers a decent range of facilities including a Forest School, sensory room, chapel, playing fields and a library, plus clubs like book club, science club, coding and art club. Sports provision covers swimming, cricket, netball and football. The school has identified SEND support for pupils with severe learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties or disabilities, which may reassure families with children who need extra help. Oversubscription is modest but real, so in-year applications may be possible given the spare capacity. This school will suit Catholic families in the Scarisbrick area who prioritise a small, faith-based environment and are comfortable with a school that is currently in a period of transition following its Ofsted downgrade. Parents focused on strong academic outcomes may want to look at higher-performing local options like Crawford Village Primary or New Longton All Saints, which top the LA rankings.

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