The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, Lancaster

About The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, Lancaster

The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, Lancaster, delivers academic results that sit well above the Lancashire local authority average for primary schools. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a LA average of 60%. That puts the school in the top 25% nationally for this metric and ranks it 6th out of 46 primary schools in the Lancaster district. The school’s reading scores are particularly strong, with 93% of pupils meeting the expected standard and 47% achieving a higher standard. Maths follows a similar pattern, with 77% at expected and 30% at the higher level. Writing also impresses, with 97% reaching the expected standard. These figures suggest a consistent focus on core literacy and numeracy, and the school’s overall performance places it comfortably among the stronger primaries in the area.

The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, confirmed that it continues to maintain good standards, upgrading from a previous Requires Improvement rating in 2014. The inspection gave top marks of Good for overall effectiveness, leadership and management, and early years provision. The school has held a Good rating across both its recent inspections. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 97% of respondents would recommend the school, and 100% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy and feels safe. On SEND support, 100% of parents who responded agreed that the school gives children the support they need. The school has identified provisions for social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication, and autistic spectrum disorder, among others.

The school is a Roman Catholic state primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 4 to 11, with a capacity of 210 and currently 202 pupils on roll. It is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 58 applications for 24 places, with 23 first-preference offers made. Facilities include playing fields, a sports hall, gymnasium, library, music rooms, a chapel, and an outdoor playground. Sports on offer include swimming, tennis, athletics and cricket, while clubs range from gardening and coding to drama and eco club. With a free school meals rate of 28.2%, the school serves a diverse intake. It will suit families who value strong academic outcomes in a faith-based setting, particularly those who want a school where reading and writing results are notably above the local norm.

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