A child’s primary school days are blessedly free of the potentially life-altering exams and qualifications that mark their time in secondary school.
But the key academic skills they begin building in these early school days lay the foundation for what comes next. That is why it’s so important that families choose a primary school that is a good fit for their family and their child alike, encouraging and supporting them to surpass even their own expectations.
We’ve created a league table of state-funded primary schools across the Preston City Council area, based on the proportion of each school’s pupils who completed Year 6 in the 2022-23 school year (the most up-to-date data available, until finalised data for the 2024 school year is published in December or January) who met the government’s expected standards in three essential school skills: reading, writing and maths. All schools included on the list had exceeded both the national and local authority area’s averages, with some of the highest scores in the city.
Each school included also had an overall Ofsted rating of ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ - or for those inspected since this measure was dropped in September - those found to be at least good across the board. This means that the quality of education provided, student behaviour and attitudes, school leadership and management and student safeguarding were all found to meet or exceed government standards last time the school was inspected.
Here were the 14 Preston schools that came out on top:
1. Barton St Lawrence Church of England Primary School
At the top of the list is this Anglican primary school in the village of Barton, north of Preston, but still in the city council area. It has nearly 200 pupils on its roll, and was formerly rated ‘outstanding’ overall by Ofsted. In the 2022/23 school year, 86% of its pupils met the government’s expected standards in reading, writing, and maths - compared to averages of 59% locally, and 60% nationally. | Google
2. Fulwood St Peter's Church of England Primary School and Nursery
This is an Anglican primary and nursery school in Fulwood, north Preston. It has about 250 pupils, and was formerly rated ‘good’ overall by Ofsted. In the 2022/23 school year, 85% of its pupils met the government’s expected standards in reading, writing, and maths - compared to averages of 59% locally, and 60% nationally. | Google
3. The Olive School, Preston
The Olive School is an Islamic primary school, also in the Fulwood area. It has about 420 pupils, and was formerly rated ‘outstanding’ overall by Ofsted. In the 2022/23 school year, 84% of its pupils met the government’s expected standards in reading, writing, and maths - compared to averages of 59% locally, and 60% nationally. | Google
4. Broughton-in-Amounderness Church of England Primary School
This is an Anglican primary school in Broughton, just north of the city. It was formerly rated ‘outstanding’ overall by Ofsted. In the 2022/23 school year, 83% of its pupils met the government’s expected standards in reading, writing, and maths - compared to averages of 59% locally, and 60% nationally. | Google