Tatham Fells Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

About Tatham Fells Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Tatham Fells Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a small, oversubscribed village school that clearly inspires strong loyalty among local families. For entry in 2025/26, the school received 10 applications for just 2 available places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 5 to 1. All 2 first-preference applicants were offered a place, but the wider demand shows that securing a spot is competitive. The school has a nursery provision for children aged 3, which may help families get a foot in the door early. With only 24 pupils on roll against a capacity of 60, the school is operating well below its maximum, yet the high application numbers suggest that those who want a place here are very determined. The most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in February 2024, confirmed the school remains Good, and its previous graded inspection in 2018 also rated it Good overall, with Good marks for leadership, early years provision, and pupil behaviour.

Academically, Tatham Fells performs solidly above the local average. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 67% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Lancashire local authority average of 60%. Reading was a particular strength: the average scaled score was 109, and 50% of pupils achieved the higher standard. In writing, 25% reached the higher standard, and in maths the average score was 105, with 83% meeting the expected standard. The school ranks 17th out of 46 primary schools in the Lancaster local authority area, placing it in the top 50% regionally and nationally. There is no Progress 8 data available for this primary school, so it is not possible to measure how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points, but the raw outcomes are comfortably above the LA benchmark.

The school offers a broad set of facilities for its size, including a gymnasium, library, music rooms, playing fields, a forest school, sports hall, art studios and a chapel. Sports on offer include swimming, gymnastics, football and dance, and clubs range from coding and science to gardening and chess. The school has identified social, emotional and mental health needs, plus other difficulty or disability, as its SEND provisions. Tatham Fells is a Church of England voluntary controlled school, so it has a religious character but is fully state-funded. This is a school that will suit families who value a very small, community-focused setting with strong academic outcomes and a clear Christian ethos, but who are prepared to compete for a place. The rural location in Lancaster means it is likely to appeal particularly to families living within the immediate catchment area.

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