Whittle-le-Woods Church of England Primary School

About Whittle-le-Woods Church of England Primary School

Whittle-le-Woods Church of England Primary School is a state primary for mixed genders aged 4 to 11, located in Chorley, Lancashire. It is a Church of England school, and it is currently running at near-full capacity with 241 pupils against a school capacity of 242. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 4.1%, which is notably low compared with the national average. The school is clearly in high demand: for the 2025/26 academic year, it received 108 applications for just 36 places, making it oversubscribed with an oversubscription ratio of 3. Of those 108 applicants, 33 listed it as their first preference, and all 33 received an offer. This level of competition suggests a strong local reputation and a catchment area that families are keen to secure a place within.

Academically, the school performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% of pupils achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the Lancashire average of 60%. This places the school 9th out of 46 primary schools in Chorley, putting it in the top 25% locally, and 283rd out of 2,065 primaries in the North West region. At the higher standard, 10% of pupils achieved the higher benchmark across all three subjects. Subject-level scores are solid: an average reading score of 105, an average maths score of 106, and 87% of pupils meeting the expected standard in both maths and writing. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024, the school was judged Good overall, with personal development rated Outstanding. Behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, quality of education, and early years provision were all rated Good.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a library, music rooms, a sports hall, a sensory room, a chapel, and outdoor playing fields. Sports provision includes football, rounders, cricket and dance, while clubs extend to coding, choir, eco club and chess. SEND support is available for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, autistic spectrum disorder, physical disabilities, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Parent View responses from 46 respondents were overwhelmingly positive: 94% of parents said their child is happy at the school, 98% said their child feels safe, and 87% would recommend the school to others. This is a school that suits families seeking a well-subscribed, church-affiliated primary with strong academic outcomes and a clear focus on personal development, set in a Chorley community where demand far outstrips supply.

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