Lancashire Ofsted reports: How did schools across Preston, Chorley and South Ribble rate this year?

Of these, eight primary schools and three secondary schools were in Preston, 10 primaries and two secondaries in Chorley and 10 primaries and five secondaries in South Ribble.

The majority of schools remained the same this year, with 80% retaining the grade they received at their last inspection, however there were eight schools who saw an improvement or drop in standards, according to Ofsted.

Nationally, hundreds of outstanding schools were reinspected this year after an exemption introduced in 2012 was removed in 2020. Of these outstanding schools the majority were unable to retain the top rating, with 80% dropping a grade.

Previously outstanding schools in Preston, Chorley and South Ribble were not immune to this national pattern as three outstanding secondary schools and one primary school dropped at least one grade in 2022.

Most recently, Archbishop Temple High School went from outstanding to requires improvement in a report released November 23, and Our Lady and St Gerard's Roman Catholic Primary School in Lostock Hall dropped from good to requires improvement on November 17.

Summarising the reason for Archbishop’s new Ofsted grade, inspectors wrote: “Over time, leaders and governors have overseen a decline in the school’s effectiveness. In particular, pupils’ behaviour and their personal development are not good enough.”

Our Lady's Catholic High School in Fulwood also dropped to good in a report released on November 14, and before that Runshaw College dropped to an overall rating of good on June 28, despite staying outstanding for two categories.

At the time, a Runshaw College spokesperson said: “At Runshaw College, we are delighted that Ofsted recently recognised our students’ outstanding Personal Development, Behaviour and Attitudes. We are always looking for ways to improve our students’ experience further, so we welcome the feedback that Ofsted provided.”

In a similar strain, St Michael’s Church of England High School in Chorley had its first inspection since becoming academy in 2012, and it was rated good in a report released on November 25. Prior to academisation, the schools’ last Ofsted report classed it as outstanding.

However on the opposite end of the scale, three primary schools went up a rating this year, these were St Annes Catholic Primary School in Leyland, St Ignatius’ Catholic Primary School in Preston and Roebuck Primary School in Preston. All three went from requires improvement in 2018 to good in 2022.

Headteacher of St Annes Catholic Primary School, Mrs Darnell said: “We are delighted that the report reflects so much of what is important to us here at St Anne’s: our inclusive approach, the learning ethos and the great behaviour of our pupils. We are very proud of the curriculum we have developed and deliver here at St Anne’s and the report reflects and recognises all the hard work of pupils, staff and Governors.”

For more details on which schools were reinspected this year, and what inspectors thought of them, you can find all the Ofsted reports at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/

The full list of schools which stayed the same this year are as follows: Abbey Village Primary (Good), Ashton Primary (Good), Brindle St James CofE Primary (Good), Broughton High (Outstanding), Christ Church Charnock Richard Primary (Good), Coppull Primary (Good), Duke Street Primary (Good), Fulwood and Cadley Primary (Good), Gillibrand Primary (Outstanding), Harris Primary (Good), Higher Walton CofE Primary (Good), Holy Cross Catholic High (Good), Howick Church Endowed Primary (Good), Hutton Church of England Grammar School (Good), Leyland Methodist Junior School (Good), Leyland St Andrew's Church of England Infant School (Good), Lostock Hall Academy (Good), Penwortham Broad Oak Primary (Good), Penwortham Primary (Good), Preston Grange Primary (Good), Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School (Good), Samlesbury CofE Primary (Good), Seven Stars Primary (Good), St Bede’s Catholic Primary (Good), St Chad’s Catholic Primary (Good), St Clare’s Catholic Primary (Good), St Peters CofE Primary (Good), Trinity CofE/Methodist Primary (Good), Walton-le-Dale (Requires Improvement) and Wellfield Academy (Requires Improvement).