Voluntary controlled school · Lancashire

St Stephen's CofE School

3–11Ages
331Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
119358URN

South Meadow Lane, South Meadow Lane, PRESTON, PR1 8JN · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Nov 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.6per place

1.0 below Lancashire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Lancashire

50 applications for 32 places · 354th of 366 in Lancashire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

55%met the expected standard

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 15 November 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		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

1.6applications per place, Reception

1.0 below Lancashire median (2.6) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

50 applications · 32 places offered · 30 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.6; Lancashire median median 2.6
2025 1.3; Lancashire median median 2.7
2024 1.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
2023 1.3; Lancashire median median 2.6
2022 1.3; Lancashire median median 2.5
2021 1.4; Lancashire median median 2.6
2020 1.3; Lancashire median median 2.7
2019 1.3; Lancashire median median 2.6
2018 1.3; Lancashire median median 2.7
2017 1.3; Lancashire median median 2.5
2016 1.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
2015 0.9; Lancashire median median 2.5
2014 1.1; Lancashire median median 2.4

More applications per place than the Lancashire median in 0 of 13 years.

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	32	50	1.6	30	0.94
Sep 2025	39	51	1.3	38	0.97
Sep 2024	38	57	1.5	36	0.95
Sep 2023	42	54	1.3	39	0.93
Sep 2022	34	43	1.3	28	0.82
Sep 2021	33	45	1.4	27	0.82
Sep 2020	35	44	1.3	29	0.83
Sep 2019	45	60	1.3	45	1.00
Sep 2018	38	51	1.3	34	0.89
Sep 2017	32	40	1.3	30	0.94
Sep 2016	23	35	1.5	22	0.96
Sep 2015	36	33	0.9	24	0.67
Sep 2014	44	50	1.1	34	0.77

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 75% · Writing 61% · Maths 73% → all three 55% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard55%297th of 444 in Lancashire

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard75%

Lancashire 77% England 78%

Higher standard25%

Lancashire 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard61%

Lancashire 74% England 75%

Greater depth7%

Lancashire 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard73%

Lancashire 76% England 77%

Higher standard9%

Lancashire 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (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	55%	0%	105	103
2023/24	47%	0%	104	102
2022/23	38%	9%	104	105

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

St Stephen's CofE SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

1.6applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary School
0.9 km · Lancashire

Requires improvement2024

3.2applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
Penwortham Middleforth Church of England Primary School
1.2 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2023

2.6applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Preston
1.3 km · Lancashire

2026

1.4applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
Frenchwood Community Primary School
1.4 km · Lancashire

2026

2.1applications per place 39%met the SATs standard
Cop Lane Church of England Primary School, Penwortham
1.6 km · Lancashire

Good2024

3.4applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
St Ignatius' Catholic Primary School, Preston
1.6 km · Lancashire

Good2022

2.6applications per place
English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, Preston
1.7 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2023

2.2applications per place 41%met the SATs standard
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Preston
1.8 km · Lancashire

Good2023

2.4applications per place 47%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: Voluntary controlled school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 119358 · 888/3009
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 315 pupils · 331 on roll
Free school meals: 38.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: South Meadow Lane, South Meadow Lane, PRESTON, PR1 8JN
Local authority: Lancashire · Preston

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