The Roebuck School says it is 'extremely proud' of new Ofsted report which 'reflects its inclusive ethos'

A primary school in Preston has said it is “extremely proud” of it’s new Ofsted report published this month.

The Roebuck School on Inkerman Street, Ashton was inspected by the educational watchdog on March 25 2026.

This was the school’s first inspection under the new Ofsted framework which you can read more about here but it in summary means

Before this inspection, The Roebuck School , currently home to 338 pupils, was last rated ‘good’ in March 2022, following three successive ‘requires improvement’ ratings between 2013 and 2018.

How was The Roebuck School graded this time around?

Five categories at the school were given the third highest rating that can be given, whilst two were deemed to be of the standard below.

The Ofsted report grades are:

• Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard (light green)
• Early years: Expected standard (light green)
• Inclusion*: Expected standard (light green)
• Leadership and governance: Expected standard (light green)
• Personal development and wellbeing: Expected standard (light green)
• Achievement: Needs attention (orange)
• Attendance and behaviour: Needs attention (orange)

*Inclusion is a new category

What did Ofsted say was particularly good about The Roebuck School?

Describing what it is like to be a pupil at the school, inspectors began by saying “Pupils of all nationalities enjoy attending and learning at this welcoming school. The school buzzes with excitement. Pupils come from a variety of places around the world. They form a close-knit community in which everyone feels welcomed and valued for their contribution.”

As part of this, children “are well prepared for life in modern Britain” through their knowledge of different faiths and cultures, as well as the range of extra-curricular activities they enjoy.

Pupils’ behaviour is said to be “generally positive”, whilst, regarding achievement, they make “more substantial progress from their starting points” than was seen historically.

The curriculum is then described as “ambitious and sequenced carefully” with recent changes “beginning to bear fruit on pupil’s knowledge”

The personal development programme is particularly “comprehensive” and the early years curriculum “flows smoothly from Nursery to Reception”, helping children in the early years “make a very positive start to their education”

Praise was also given to the SEND provision across the school and the “particularly effective” pastoral work to support pupil’s wellbeing.

What does The Roebuck School need to improve?

In the ‘next steps’ part of the report, inspectors highlighted three specific things for the school to focus on.

The first two involved pupil’s achievement, with leaders being asked to “ensure that staff use their ongoing checks of pupils' learning consistently to inform subsequent teaching, so that gaps in pupils' knowledge close more quickly”.

Leaders should ensure that the “strategies in place to secure rapid and sustained improvement in pupils' reading, writing and mathematics skills are embedded in daily practice so that more pupils leave the school ready for key stage 3”.

Finally, earlier in the report, inspectors noted that pupil’s attendance historically has been below the national average and remains so, therefore leaders are asked to “continue to strengthen their oversight and promotion of the importance of attendance so that more pupils attend regularly”.

What did The Roebuck School say about it’s new report?

Headteacher Jill Alexander-Steele said: “I am extremely proud of our Ofsted report, which truly reflects the inclusive ethos of our school.

“Our pupils represented us exceptionally well, demonstrating positive behaviour, and showing politeness and respect throughout the inspection.

“I am particularly pleased that the report recognises the hard work and dedication of our staff in making The Roebuck School a great place to learn.”