Community school · Lancashire

Northern Primary School

5–11Ages
161Pupils
PrimaryPhase
119190URN

Burnley Road, Northern Primary School, Bacup, OL13 8PH · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodNov 2013

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Feb 2024

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.9per place

0.3 above Lancashire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Lancashire

58 applications for 20 places · 107th of 366 in Lancashire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

50%met the expected standard

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodNov 2013

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Feb 2024

Inspection history

21 February 2024
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
20 November 2013
Graded inspection: Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.9applications per place, Reception

0.3 above Lancashire median (2.6) 0.7 above England median (2.2)

58 applications · 20 places offered · 17 named it first

2026 2.9; Lancashire median median 2.6
2025 3.0; Lancashire median median 2.7
2024 3.2; Lancashire median median 2.6
2023 2.6; Lancashire median median 2.6
2022 2.8; Lancashire median median 2.5
2021 2.9; Lancashire median median 2.6
2020 2.1; Lancashire median median 2.7
2019 4.0; Lancashire median median 2.6
2018 2.6; Lancashire median median 2.7
2017 2.3; Lancashire median median 2.5
2016 2.8; Lancashire median median 2.6
2015 2.4; Lancashire median median 2.5
2014 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.4

This school
Lancashire median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	20	58	2.9	17	0.85
Sep 2025	17	51	3.0	17	1.00
Sep 2024	18	58	3.2	18	1.00
Sep 2023	28	72	2.6	23	0.82
Sep 2022	25	70	2.8	24	0.96
Sep 2021	20	57	2.9	18	0.90
Sep 2020	29	61	2.1	24	0.83
Sep 2019	18	72	4.0	17	0.94
Sep 2018	30	77	2.6	33	1.10
Sep 2017	29	67	2.3	28	0.97
Sep 2016	22	62	2.8	19	0.86
Sep 2015	30	72	2.4	27	0.90
Sep 2014	30	65	2.2	35	1.17

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 65% · Writing 81% · Maths 65% → all three 50% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard50%331st of 444 in Lancashire

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard65%

Lancashire 77% England 78%

Higher standard12%

Lancashire 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard81%

Lancashire 74% England 75%

Greater depth15%

Lancashire 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard65%

Lancashire 76% England 77%

Higher standard8%

Lancashire 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Lancashire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	50%	0%	103	102
2023/24	66%	10%	106	103
2022/23	48%	7%	105	102

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Northern Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Remains Good2024

2.9applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Bacup Thorn Primary School
1.2 km · Lancashire

Good2023

2.1applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Sharneyford Primary School
1.3 km · Lancashire

2026

2.7applications per place 30%met the SATs standard
St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
1.9 km · Lancashire

Serious weaknesses 2026

3.0applications per place 15%met the SATs standard
Bacup St Saviour's Community Primary School
2.7 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2024

5.0applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Stacksteads, Bacup
2.9 km · Lancashire

2026

2.4applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Water Primary School
3.0 km · Lancashire

Good2023

2.4applications per place 36%met the SATs standard
Bacup Holy Trinity Stacksteads Church of England Primary School
3.1 km · Lancashire

Good2024

2.1applications per place 37%met the SATs standard
Britannia Community Primary School
3.1 km · Lancashire

2026

2.9applications per place 66%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 119190 · 888/2111
Capacity: 210 pupils · 161 on roll
Free school meals: 17.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Burnley Road, Northern Primary School, Bacup, OL13 8PH
Local authority: Lancashire · Rossendale

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources