Voluntary aided school · Lancashire

St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Sabden

4–11Ages
69Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
119651URN

Watt Street, Sabden, Clitheroe, BB7 9ED · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodMay 2014

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Nov 2022

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.4per place

0.8 above Lancashire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Lancashire

17 applications for 5 places

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

43%met the expected standard

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodMay 2014

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Nov 2022

Inspection history

24 November 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
14 May 2014
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

3.4applications per place, Reception

0.8 above Lancashire median (2.6) 1.2 above England median (2.2)

17 applications · 5 places offered · 5 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 3.4; Lancashire median median 2.6
2025 3.4; Lancashire median median 2.7
2024 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.6
2023 3.3; Lancashire median median 2.6
2022 4.3; Lancashire median median 2.5
2021 2.9; Lancashire median median 2.6
2020 2.8; Lancashire median median 2.7
2019 2.6; Lancashire median median 2.6
2018 1.8; Lancashire median median 2.7
2017 2.4; Lancashire median median 2.5
2016 3.4; Lancashire median median 2.6
2015 2.3; Lancashire median median 2.5
2014 2.5; 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	5	17	3.4	5	1.00
Sep 2025	5	17	3.4	5	1.00
Sep 2024	10	22	2.2	8	0.80
Sep 2023	6	20	3.3	6	1.00
Sep 2022	4	17	4.3	3	0.75
Sep 2021	7	20	2.9	6	0.86
Sep 2020	12	34	2.8	14	1.17
Sep 2019	11	29	2.6	9	0.82
Sep 2018	9	16	1.8	9	1.00
Sep 2017	7	17	2.4	7	1.00
Sep 2016	5	17	3.4	4	0.80
Sep 2015	12	27	2.3	16	1.33
Sep 2014	6	15	2.5	7	1.17

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 71% · Writing 71% · Maths 57% → all three 43% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard43%373rd of 444 in Lancashire

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard71%

Lancashire 77% England 78%

Higher standard14%

Lancashire 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard71%

Lancashire 74% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Lancashire 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard57%

Lancashire 76% England 77%

Higher standard0%

Lancashire 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 97 (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	43%	0%	103	97
2023/24	10%	0%	101	95
2022/23	43%	0%	101	100

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 Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, SabdenThis school
This school

Remains Good2022

3.4applications per place 43%met the SATs standard
Sabden Primary School
0.4 km · Lancashire

2026

2.4applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Simonstone St Peter's Church of England Primary School
2.8 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2023

3.3applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Read St John's CofE Primary School
2.8 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2023

1.9applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Padiham St Leonard's Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School
3.5 km · Lancashire

Requires improvement2024

2.0applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Higham St John's Church of England Primary School
3.5 km · Lancashire

Special measures 2026

2.8applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Barrow URC Primary School
3.9 km · Lancashire

Good2024

3.3applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Padiham Green Church of England Primary School
4.2 km · Lancashire

2026

4.2applications per place 48%met the SATs standard
Padiham Primary School
4.5 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2023

2.0applications 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 aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 119651 · 888/3753
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 90 pupils · 69 on roll
Free school meals: 24.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Watt Street, Sabden, Clitheroe, BB7 9ED
Local authority: Lancashire · Ribble Valley

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