St Stephen's CofE School
About St Stephen's CofE School
St Stephen's CofE School in Preston is a state primary that is currently running above its official capacity, with 347 pupils on roll against a capacity of 315. That oversubscription is backed up by the numbers: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 51 applications for 39 places, with 38 of those coming as first preferences, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.31. The school serves a community with a notably high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals — 35.4 per cent — which is well above the national average for primary schools and suggests a catchment with significant economic diversity. As a Church of England school, it has a religious character that may appeal to local families, though the data doesn't specify any faith-based admissions criteria. The school also offers nursery provision for children from age three, which can be a practical draw for working parents looking for continuity into Reception.
Key Details
The full report on this school
The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
15 Nov 2023Source: Ofsted, 21 Dec 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
5Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
10Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:20
Source: st-stephens.lancs.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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